1,1  HKAK'\ 


University  of  California. 


z/lc cessions  No.  (p/Jl^3o 


CLns  No. 


LIFE 


PHILIP  DODDRIDGE,  D.D., 


WITH 


NOTICES    OF    SOME    OF    HIS    COTEMPORARIES, 
AND  SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYI^E. 


[Dr.  Doddridge's  Church,  at  Northampton.] 

By  D.  a.  HARSHA,  M.  A., 


STAR   OP   BETHLEHEM;   A  GUIDE  TO   THE  SAVIOUR; 
EMINENT   ORATORS   AND  STATESMEN,'   ETC. 


E  ONLY  FOR  Qod's  GLORY  .'—Doddridge. 

HILADELPHIA: 
LIPPINCOTT    &    CO 

1  869. 


_D7// 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1864,  by 

D.  A.  HARSHA, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States 

for  the  Northern  District  of  New  York. 


PREFACE 


To  persons  of  refined  minds,  and  of  sincere  and  ardent  piety, 
it  must  afford  great  pleasure  and  profit  to  study  carefully  the 
life,  character  and  writings  of  Philip  Doddridge,  a  name  'on 
which  all  who  have  sympathy  with  the  generous,  the  benevo- 
lent and  the  devout  will  ever  delight  to  linger.'  The  object  of 
the  present  volume  is  to  sketch  the  personal  history  and  char- 
acter of  this  excellent  divine;  to  give  some  account  of  his 
times  and  of  some  of  his  distinguished  cotemporaries ;  and  to 
present  a  few  choice  specimens  of  his  style. 

The  author  has  aimed  to  give  a  clear,  succinct  and  compre- 
hensive account  of  the  principal  events  in  the  active  and  valu- 
able life  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  chronological  order,  with  special 
reference  to  the  interesting,  touching  and  melancholy  scenes 
of  his  last  days,  till  the  happy  hour  when,  'without  one  cloud 
of  gloom,'  his  spirit  winged  its  way  to  God.  The  dates  and 
leading  circumstances  connected  with  his  most  important  pub- 
lications are  also  given,  with  brief  criticisms  on  their  peculiar 
merits. 

Some  of  the  gems  of  Doddridge's  epistolary  correspondence, 
throwing  light  on  a  variety  of  interesting  matters,  are  inter- 
woven with  the  biographical  narrative.  It  is  worthy  of  remark, 
that  some  of  his  earlier  letters,  written  in  the  midst  of  rural 
delights,  in  his  free  and  fresh  communion  with  nature,  display 
more  of  the  beauties  of  imagination  and  of  style  than  his  later 
writings,  reminding  one,  frequently,  of  the  easy,  graceful  and 
vigorous  letters  of  Pope,  Gray,  and  some  other  distinguished 
writers  of  the  classic  age  of  Queen  Anne  and  George  I.  The 
remark  which  Mr.  Morell  has  made  respecting  Doddridge  is, 
we  think,  very  true,  that  'none  who  have  read  his  earlier  cor- 
respondence can  doubt,  that  if  he  had  chosen  to  direct  the 


4  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

bent  of  his  genius  to  works  of  imagination  and  taste  he  could 
have  rivalled  some  of  the  most  sprightly  wits  of  that  polished 
age.'  Doddridge  carried  on  an  extensive  correspondence  with 
many  eminent  theologians  and  literary  men,  such  as  Samuel 
Clarke,  David  Jennings,  Isaac  Watts,  John  Barker,  Hugh  Far- 
mer, Bishop  Warburton,  Daniel  Neal,  Benjamin  Fawcett,  Dr. 
Stonehouse,  Robert  Blair,  William  Seeker,  Nathaniel  Lardtier, 
Gilbert  West,  and  Samuel  Davies.  As  an  instance  of  his  large 
correspondence  we  quote  his  own  words  on  one  occasion;  'I 
marshalled  my  unanswered  letters,  and  found  them  one  hun- 
dred and  six,  near  one-quarter  of  which  reached  me  since  Fri- 
day noon  (and  it  was  then  Monday  evening),  and  all  this 
though  I  have  written  between  fifty  and  sixty  letters  the  last 
fourteen  days,  with  my  own  hand,  having  no  secretary.' 

As  it  is  interesting  to  trace  the  progress  of  intellectual  dis- 
cipline in  superior  minds,  the  author  has  been  careful  to  men- 
tion some  of  the  principal  books  which  Doddridge  studied, 
especially  during  his  student-life,  and  which  aided  in  the 
development  of  his  mental  powers,  and  in  forming  his  taste. 
Doddridge,  as  it  will  be  seen,  was  a  great  reader;  but  he  did 
not  peruse  a  book  superficially  ;  he  carefully  reflected  on  what 
he  read  and  endeavored  at  the  same  time  to  make  the  stores 
of  knowledge  thus  accumulated  subservient  to  some  valuable 
practical  purpose — ^^to  the  improvement  of  his  understanding 
and  heart.  In  the  early  days  of  his  ministry,  during  his  studi- 
ous pursuits  in  a  rural  retreat,  he  writes  to  his  brother-in-law  : 
'I  find  it  most  useful  to  join  reading  and  reflection,  and  would 
not  entirely  depend  either  upon  myself  or  others.'  When 
such  a  course  is  pursued  with  regard  to  reading  we  can  readily 
say  with  old  Bishop  Hall :  '  No  law  binds  us  to  read  all ;  but 
the  more  we  can  take  in  and  digest,  the  greater  will  be  our 
improvement.'  The  criticisms  of  Doddridge  on  some  of  the 
books  he  read,  during  his  student-life,  frequently  show  a  fine 
literai'y  taste  and  a  just  appreciation  of  the  beauties  of  cele- 
brated authors. 


PREFACE.  5 

Several  of  the  specimens  in  the  last  chapter  of  this  volume 
are  taken  from  Doddridge's  Sermons  in  four  volumes  octavo, 
published  in  London,  in  1826,  now  a  scarce  work.  It  is 
believed  that  these  selections,  both  in  prose  and  in  poetry,  are 
among  the  choicest  that  can  be  made  from  his  practical  and 
devotional  compositions.  Of  the  sermons  of  Doddridge,  in 
general,  Mr.  Morell  has  well  remarked  that  they  'furnish 
delightful  specimens  of  genuine  pulpit  eloquence;'  that  'they 
breathe  the  very  soul  of  tenderness,  and  pastoral  fidelity ; ' 
and  that  *  they  abound  wuth  earnest  and  pathetic  appeals  to 
the  conscience.' 

In  the  preparation  of  this  volume  the  principal  publications 
relating  to  Doddridge  and  his  friends  have  been  carefully  con- 
sulted; while  some  information  belonging  to  this  subject  has 
been  gained  in  conversation  with  several  of  his  descendants. 
The  author  would  especially  acknowledge  his  obligations  to 
the  biographical  memoirs  of  Doddridge  by  Orton,  Kippis  and 
Stoughton;  and  to  The  Correspondence  and  Diary  of  Doddridge,  in 
five  octavo  volumes,  edited  by  his  great  grandson,  John  Dod- 
dridge Humphreys.  Mr.  Humphreys  has  been  rather  severely 
criticised  in  Stoughton's  Memorial,  in  the  Boston  Christian 
Examiner,  and  in  other  publications,  for  laying  before  the  pub- 
lic, in  these  volumes,  some  of  Doddridge's  youthful  letters  of  a 
trifling  character,  and  some  written  in  a  very  affectionate 
style,  and  addressed  to  certain  young  ladies  of  his  acquaint- 
ance under  romantic  names.  Admitting  that  the  volumes  of 
Mr.  Humphreys  are,  in  some  respects,  injudiciously  edited,  we, 
nevertheless,  regard  them,  on  the  whole,  as  very  interesting 
and  valuable. 

While  alluding  to  this  foible  of  Doddridge's  youth  it  may  be 
proper  to  remark  that  other  faults  have  been  laid  to  his  charge 
such  as  *  his  habits  of  speaking  somewhat  ostentatiously  of  his 
own  employments,  and  particularly  that  accommodation  of 
religious  phraseology  to  the  opinions  or  associations  of  others.' 
As  Dr.  Kippis  has  remarked,  'It  is  not  the  lot  of  the  purest 


6  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

virtue  to  pass  through  the  world  without  reproach.'  And 
Doddridge,  with  all  his  moral  excellence,  and  in  the  midst  of 
the  applause  he  received  from  the  great  and  the  good  in  his 
day,  also  endured  reproach  from  the  tongues  of  the  envious 
and  the  malicious.  Orton  in  his  Memoirs,  has  devoted  a  whole 
section  to  his  behaviour  under  injuries.  Doddridge  himself 
thus  gives  us  his  own  sentiment  on  this  point :  *  I  settle  it  as 
an  established  point  with  me,  that  the  more  diligently  and 
faithfully  I  serve  Christ,  the  greater  reproach,  and  the  more 
injury  I  must  expect.'  "With  reference  io  some  calumnies 
that  his  enemies  aimed  at  him,  his  faithful  friend  the  Rev. 
John  Barker  very  pointedly  writes  to  him ;  *  As  for  the 
unmanly  flirts,  and  ungenerous  reflections  of  those  who  are 
not  worthy  to  carry  your  books  after  you,  it  puts  me  in  mind 
of  a  dog  barking  at  the  moon,  which  after  all  his  impotency 
shines,  and  is  still  very  far  out  of  his  reach.'  "With  all  Dod- 
dridge's trivial  faults  we  verily  believe  that  few  persons  have 
ever  exhibited  in  so  favorable  a  light  the  various  excellencies 
of  the  Christian  character.  In  the  annals  of  sacred  biography 
few  names  have  been  so  universally  revered  by  the  Christian 
world  for  amiableness,  zeal,  devotedness  and  piety.  And  to 
the  most  distant  posterity  will  his  name  continue  to  shine  in 
the  firmament  of  the  Christian  church  as  a  star  of  the  purest 
and  gentlest  lustre. 

May  the  divine  blessing  still  attend  the  labors  of  this  saintly 
divine,  who  being  dead  yet  speaketh  in  his  valuable  writings  in 
strains  of  exquisite  simplicity,  tenderness  and  pathos,  to  thou- 
sands in  all  Christian  lands ;  and  by  means  of  his  writings 
may  multitudes  still  be  enlightened  and  guided  to  the  blessed 
Saviour,  who  is  the  way  and  the   truth,  and  the  life, — the 

BRIGHT  AND  MORNING  STAR. 

*  The  joy  of  earth  and  heaven.' 

D.  A.  H. 
Arqyle,  N.  Y.,  May  1st,  1864. 


CONTENTS. 


CHAPTER  I.                                  Page. 
His  Times, 9 

CHAPTER  II. 
His  Student-Life, 22 

CHAPTER  III. 
His  Pastorate  at  Kibwobth  and  Market  Harborough,     52 

CHAPTER  IV. 

His  Pastorate  at  Northampton  —  Labors  as  Tutor  and 

Author, 73 

CHAPTER  V. 
His  Last  Days, 141 

CHAPTER  VI. 
His  Character, .174 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Specimens  of  his  Style  in  Prose  and  Verse,        .         .     202 


Doddridge  was  a  burning  and  shining  light  which,  in 
days  of  more  than  ordinary  coldness,  divine  providence 
was  pleased  to  enkindle,  in  order  to  impart  both  warmth 
and  illumination  to  the  professing  christian  world. — 
Bishop  Jebh. 

Doddridge's  heart  was  made  up  of  all  the  kindlier 
feelings  of  our  nature,  and  was  wholly  devoted  to  the 

SALVATION    OF  MEN's    SOULS.       WHATEVER    HE  DID,    HE    APPEARS 
TO  HAVE  DONE  TO  THE  GLORY  OF  GoD. Dr.  Dihdin. 

Doddridge  is  now  my  prime  favorite  among  divines. — 
Rohert  Hall. 

His  thoughts  have  a  dew  still  on  them,  like  flowers 
fresh  gathered  in  the  fields  of  holy  meditation. — Rev, 
Dr.  Hamilton 


LIFE  OF. DR.  DODDRIDGE. 


CIIAPTEE    I 


HIS  TIMES. 


l^^^gj^HE  age  in  wliich  Philip  Dod- 
'^^  dridge  lived  was  one  of  unu- 
sual brilliancy  in  the  literary, 
scientific  and  military  history  of 
England.  The  period  of  his  youth- 
ful years,  comprising  the  reign  of  Queen 
Anne,  has  usually  been  styled  the  Augustan 
era  of  English  literature.  This  polished  age, 
however,  properly  comprehends  the  reigns  of 
"William  III.,  Anne,  and  the  first  two  Georges. 
Before  sketching  the  life  of  the  learned  and 
pious  author  of  The  Family  Expositor ^  and  The 
Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul,  let  us 
glance  for  a  few  moments  at  the  literary,  politi- 
cal, moral  and  religious  features  of  his  age,  —  an 
age  so  fruitful  in  illustrious  men ;  so  remarkable 
for  the  rapid  and  extensive  difl:usion  of  general 
literature  ;  and  so  eventful  in  political  and  mili- 
tary affairs. 

2 


10  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

In  poetry,  several  authors  of  great  merit  and 
distinction  were  at  that  time  producing  works 
for  the  admiration  of  their  own  and  of  coming 
ages,  —  poems,  in  which  beauty  of  thought,  lofti- 
ness of  sentiment,  richness  of  description,  and 
exquisiteness  of  versification  are  happily  united. 
Among  the  poets  of  that  day,  some  of  whose  fine 
descriptions  of  the  beauties  of  natural  scenery  — 
of  elegant  artificial  life  —  of  moral  and  religious 
feelings  —  still  fall  like  softest  music  on  the  ear, 
were  Pope,  Prior,  Gay,  Parnell,  Akenside,  Ad- 
dison, Blair,  Watts,  Thomson  and  Young. 

In  that  classic  age  of  English  literature  the 
names  of  Addison  and  Steele  were  preeminently 
distinguished  as  essayists.  These  chaste  writers 
contributed,  perhaps,  more  largely  than  any  of 
their  distinguished  compeers,  to  guide  the  opin- 
ions and  form  the  character  of  their  generation. 
And  to  them  the  honor  is  due  of  having  origi- 
nated our  periodical  literature;  —  a  branch  of 
study,  which  in  our  own  time,  has  been  so  care- 
fully cultivated,  and  so  admirably  illustrated  by 
the  powerful  minds  and  graphic  pens  of  Mac- 
aulay,  JefiFrey,  Talfourd,  and  Carlyle. 

In  the  department  of  political  and  fictitious 
literature,  Henry  Fielding,  Tobias  Smollet,  and 
Daniel  Defoe  were  busily  engaged  in  planning 
and  writing  their    numerous    works.     Defoe's 


mS  TIMES.  11 

Robinson  Crusoe^  one  of  the  most  charming  and 
popular  of  all  romances,  was  published  while 
Doddridge  was  quietly  pursuing  his  academical 
studies  at  the  village  of  Kibworth. 

In  the  walks  of  science,  this  era  was  adorned 
by  the  brilliant  genius  of  Edmund  Halley,  the 
celebrated  astronomer,  and  of  Sir  Isaac  E'ewton, 
*  a  name  illustrious  and  revered  of  nations,'  by 
whose  investigations  and  discoveries  in  the  phy- 
sical world  a  flood  of  light  was  poured  on  wide 
fields  of  philosophical  inquiry  previously  shroud- 
ed in  darkness. 

Nature  and  Nature's  laws  lay  hid  in  night ; 

God  said :  Let  Newton  be,  and  all  was  light. — Pope. 

Some  of  the  most  eminent  political  personages 
of  this  age  of  excited  party  feeling  among  Whigs, 
Tories  and  Jacobites — the  leading  political  par- 
ties of  the  day  —  were  Lord  Townsend,  Sir 
Eobert  Walpole,  Lord  Grenville,  Bolingbroke, 
Lord  Mansfield,  and  Chesterfield.  In  the  fore- 
most rank  of  these  distinguished  statesmen, 
stood  the  noble  Chatham,  whose  matchless  ora- 
tory, then  in  its  earlier  richness  and  splendor, 
was  swaying  with  irresistible  force  the  feelings 
of  parliamentary  assemblies,  and  commanding 
general  applause.  And  among  the  group  of 
renowned  politicians  in  that  classic  age,  we  must 


12  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

not  omit  the  name  of  Edmund  Burke,  wlio,  a 
little  before  the  close  of  the  period  under  con- 
sideration, was  a  young  man  about  to  enter  on 
his  brilliant  parliamentary  career,  and  to  dis- 
play the  powers  of  the  consummate  orator,  the 
wise  statesman,  and  the  accomplished  debater. 

If  we  turn  to  the  military  history  of  this  era, 
we  shall  see  the  glory  of  the  British  nation,  by 
the  brilliant  victories  of  the  Duke  of  Marlbo- 
rough, raised  to  a  height  greater  than  it  had  ever 
before  reached.  Among  many  others  who  ac- 
quired exalted  reputation  as  military  men  in 
those  times,  was  Col.  Gardiner.  This  brave 
Scottish  officer,  who  had  served  with  distinction 
under  Marlborough,  after  being  in  many  a  hard- 
fought  engagement,  was  slain  in  the  battle  of 
Prestonpans,  in  1745,  in  defence  of  the  House 
of  Hanover.  Doddridge  was  his  personal  friend 
and  correspondent,  and  in  a  work  still  quite  pop- 
ular, has  narrated,  in  a  pleasing  and  interesting 
manner,  the  story  of  the  Colonel's  eventful  life, 
his  remarkable  conversion  from  an  ungodly  to 
a  religious  life,  and  his  earnest  devotion  to  the 
service  of  God,  as  well  as  to  that  of  his  country.* 

The  age  of  Doddridge  was  not  so  fruitful  in 

*  *  He  is  so  good  as  to  favor  me  with  much  of  his  company, 
for  I  generally  see  him  once,  and  often  twice  a  day.' — Dod- 
dridge, in  a  letter,  dated  June  23,  1742. 


HIS  TIMES.  13 

the  great  names  of  theological  literature.  Where 
in  the  Christian  ministry  of  that  time,  shall  we 
look  for  theologians  like  those  whose  names 
adorn  the  history  of  the  preceding  period,  Usher, 
Baxter,  Owen,  Goodwin,  Bunyan,  Bates,  Man- 
ton,  Flavel,  Tillotson,  Taylor,  Hall,  Barrow, 
and  Leighton?  These  distinguished  men  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  by  whose  genius,  learning, 
zeal,  and  piety,  so  much  good  had  been  accom- 
plished for  the  cause  of  Christianity,  had  now 
passed  from  the  scene  of  their  earthly  labors  to 
enter  upon  their  everlasting  rest,  and  to  shine 
as  stars  in  the  heavenly  firmament.  John  How^e, 
the  last  of  the  great  divines  of  the  seventeenth 
century,  still  lingered  on  the  shores  of  time  when 
Doddridge  was  born ;  but  in  three  years  after- 
wards the  grave  closed  over  his  mortal  remains. 
The  immediate  successors  of  those  eminent 
theologians  were,  generally,  far  behind  them  in 
point  of  genius,  intellect,  reasoning  powers,  ex- 
pression, holy  fervor  and  ardent  piety.  Still,  in 
the  times  of  Doddridge  there  were  some  who  ac- 
quired considerable  celebrity  in  theological  lite- 
rature. Among  the  leading  divines  of  that  age 
were  Matthew  Henry,  Burnet,  Atterbury,  Sher- 
lock, Jortin,  Seeker,  "Watts,  Evans,  Bp.  Wilson, 
Lardner,   Orton,   Whitefield,  Wesley,  Hervey, 

Romaine,  and  Benjamin  Fawcett,  the  worthy 

2 


14  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE, 

successor  of  Baxter  at  Kidderminster.  Some  of 
these  became  greatly  distinguished  in  their  day 
for  their  genius  and  classical  scholarship ;  their 
attainments  in  theological  science  and  belles- 
'ettres  ;  their  advocacy  of  the  Christian  faith,  and 
of  evangelical  doctrines ;  their  illustrations  of 
the  Scriptures,  and  of  practical  piety ;  their  dili- 
gence and  zeal  in  the  promotion  of  the  divine 
glory ;  and  the  persuasiveness  of  their  pulpit 
oratory. 

The  religious  feature  of  the  age  of  Doddridge, 
does  not,  on  the  whole,  afford  a  very  cheering 
theme  for  the  contemplation  of  the  pious  mind. 
While  it  was  an  epoch  memorable  for  its  specula- 
tive tendencies  in  theology,  the  grand  doctrines 
of  practical  Christianit}^  were  comparatively  little 
regarded  by  the  great  majority  of  professing 
Christians  of  all  denominations.  There  seems, 
in  fact,  to  have  been  a  general  decay  of  religion. 
As  an  indication  of  its  low  state  in  those  days, 
it  has  been  said,  that  piety  was  no  longer  con- 
sidered essential,  even  by  many  among  the 
dissenters,  for  an  admission  to  the  Christian 
ministry.  The  excellent  Bishop  Burnet,  while 
lamenting  the  decline  of  Christianity  in  the 
church  to  which  he  belonged,  says  :  '  I  cannot 
look  on  without  the  deepest  concern,  when  I  see 
imminent  ruin  hanging  over  this  church,  and  by 


niS  TIMES.  15 

consequence  over  the  whole  reformation.  The 
outward  state  of  things  is  black  enough,  God 
knows ;  but  that  which  heightens  my  fears, 
rises  chiefly  from  the  inward  state  into  which 
we  are  unhappily  fallen.'  He  also  tells  us  that 
candidates  for  ordination  were  commonly  quite 
unacquainted  with  the  Bible,  and  unable  even  to 
give  an  account  of  the  statements  in  the  church 
catechism.  And  in  regard  to  many  who  reap- 
peared before  the  bishop  to  obtain  institution 
to  a  living,  it  was  still  evident  that  they  had  not 
read  the  Scriptures,  nor  any  other  good  book 
since  they  were  ordained.  In  the  words  of  a 
late  writer,  '  Genuine  piety,  Scriptural  know- 
ledge, ardent  zeal,  were  no  longer  deemed  es- 
sential to  the  sacred  ofliice,  and  were  ridi- 
culed as  puritanical  and  degrading.  Multi- 
tudes pressed  into  the  Christian  ministry  who 
were  utterly  destitute  of  all  those  qualities  which 
can  give  efficiency  and  true  dignity  to  that 
office.' 

The  low  degree  of  religion  in  England  at  that 
time,  attracted  the  attention  of  foreigners. 
Montesquieu,  the  celebrated  French  author,  who 
visited  England  in  1729,  protested  (though 
very  unjustly),  that  the  English  had  no  religion 
at  all.  'If  any  one,'  he  said,  'spoke  of  it, 
everybody  laughed.'      And    as  low  as  religion 


16  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

had  Slink  in  France,  '  lie  confessed  that  he  him- 
self had  not  enough  of  it  to  satisfy  his  country- 
men ;  and  yet  he  found  that  he  had  too  much  to 
suit  English  society.' 

In  the  Christian  ministry,  the  spirit  of  earn- 
estness, zeal,  piety,  and  devotion,  which  ani- 
mated the  great  and  heavenly-minded  preach- 
ers of  the  seventeenth  century,  and  which  per- 
vaded their  invaluable  practical  writings,  seemed 
to  have  passed  away,  to  be  succeeded  by  a  cold, 
speculative  form  of  Christianity,  without  the 
life  and  power  of  godliness.  'A  cold  system  of 
ethics,'  says  Mr.  Morell,  '  scarcely  superior  to 
the  morality  of  the  Pagan  world,  superseded 
the  faithful  and  energetic  preaching  of  former 
times.' 

Various  reasons  have  been  assigned  as  some 
of  the  causes  of  this  general  decay  of  religion ; 
such  as  violent  political  feelings ;  the  circulation 
of  a  licentious  literature  ;  infidel  writings  ;  the 
degenerate  character  of  the  Christian  ministry  ; 
a  controversial  spirit  among  Christians ;  and 
*the  withdrawment  of  the  attention  of  the 
ablest  and  most  learned  Christian  divines  from 
the  essentials  of  the  gospel,  to  an  elaborate 
vindication  of  its  evidences  in  their  controversy 
then  carried  on  with  deists  and  infidels.'  But 
the  grand  reason   of  this  lamentable  state  of 


Ills  TIMES.  17 

things  in  the  religious  world  in  England  during 
the  earlier  part  of  the  eighteenth  century  was, 
doubtless,  the  withholding  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
from  the  churches ;  that  Spirit  which,  when 
once  poured  out,  causes  even  the  wilderness  and 
the  solitary  place  to  be  glad  ;  and  the  desert  to 
rejoice  and  blossom  as  the  rose. 

Doddridge  was  one  of  those  few  who  sincerely 
grieved  at  the  great  decline  of  religion  in  those 
times ;  and  during  the  course  of  his  ministry, 
one  of  his  principal  efforts  was  to  produce  a 
revival  of  true  religion.  '  This  was  the  govern- 
ing principle  of  his  life,  the  supreme  object  of 
his  heart's  desire,  to  which  all  his  labors,  whe- 
ther as  a  pastor,  a  tutor,  or  an  author,  were 
solemnly  consecrated.'  How  noble,  how  glori- 
ous an  object!  And  how  was  the  honest  and 
good  heart  of  Doddridge  gladdened,  a  little  be- 
fore the  close  of  his  life,  to  know  that  a  great 
change  for  the  better  was  taking  place  in  Great 
Britain  and  America.  By  the  blessing  of 
Heaven  on  his  earnest  labors,  and  those  of  his 
eminent  and  pious  companions  in  the  vineyard 
of  the  Lord,  a  series  of  remarkable  revivals 
commenced  —  the  great  awakenings  of  the 
eighteenth  century. 

These  prosperous  times,  in  the  church  of 
God,   commenced  in  J^ew  England  under  the 


18  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDOE. 

searcliing  and  powerful  preaching  of  Jonathan 
Edwards,  at  I^orthampton,  and  in  ISTew  Jersey, 
under  the  ministry  of  the  Tennants.  Then 
were  truly  verified  the  words  of  Isaiah  respect- 
ing Zion  —  the  field  which  the  Lord  hath 
hlessed :  '  It  shall  blossom  abundantly,  and  re- 
joice even  with  joy  and  singing ;  the  glory  of 
Lebanon  shall  be  given  unto  it,  the  excellency 
of  Carmel  and  Sharon ;  they  shall  see  the  glory 
of  the  Lord,  and  the  excellency  of  our  God.' 

During  the  early  period  of  Doddridge's  ca- 
reer, there  was  not  only  a  low  state  of  religion 
in  England,  but  also  a  general  prevalence  of 
infidelity.  In  the  almost  universal  degeneracy 
in  morals  after  the  great  civil  w^ar,  this  poison- 
ous stream  seems  to  have  flowed  in  a  more 
rapid,  widening,  and  desolating  course.  It  is 
true  that  some  time  before  the  civil  war,  the 
devout  G-eorge  Herbert,  and  other  kindred  souls, 
complain  of  '  the  wickedness  and  growing  athe- 
ism '  of  their  age ;  but  it  was  not  till  the  early 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  that  infidelity  at- 
tained its  full  growth  in  England ;  and,  with 
unhallowed  hands,  dared  so  openly  and  boldly 
to  attack  the  citadel  of  the  Christian  faith. 

Infidelity  and  atheism  prevailed  especially 
among  the  higher  classes  of  society.  When 
Doddridge  was  a  boy,  the  gifted  Lady  Mary 


HIS  TIMES.  19 

Wortley  Montague  wrote,  tliat  there  were  *  more 
atheists  among  the  fine  ladies  than  among  the 
loosest  sort  of  rakes.'  A  sad  confession! 
About  the  same  time,  bishop  Burnet  says,  in 
his  advice  to  clergymen;  'Begin  with  settling 
in  your  minds  the  foundations  of  your  faith; 
and  be  full  of  this  and  ready  at  it,  that  you  may 
know  how  to  deal  with  unbelievers,  for  that  is 
the  spreading  corruption  of  this  age.  There  are 
few  atheists,  but  many  infidels,  who  are  indeed 
very  little  better  than  the  atheists.  In  this  ar- 
gument you  ought  to  take  pains  to  have  all  well 
digested,  and  clearly  laid  in  your  thoughts,  that 
you  may  manage  the  controversy  gently,  with- 
out any  asperity  of  words,  but  with  a  strength 
of  reason.'*  The  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  writing 
to  Doddridge  in  1721,  advises  him  to  get,  in  the 
course  of  his  reading,  '  well  established '  as  to 
the  authority  of  the  Scriptures.  '  The  preva- 
lency  of  deism,'  he  adds,  '  makes  the  cultivation 
of  that  subject  very  necessary.' 

The  deistical  controversy  of  that  day  was  car- 
ried on  with  great  ardor.  Among  the  formida- 
ble opponents  of  the  Christian  religion,  were 
Mandeville,  Chubb,  Toland,  Tindal,  Woolstan, 
Collins,  Chesterfield,  Shaftesbury,  and  Boling- 

*  Conclusion  of  the  History  of  liis  Own  Time,  written  in 
1708. 


-20  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

broke.  To  repel  the  arguments  of  these  assail- 
ants of  Cliristianity  came  forward  some  of  the 
ablest  and  most  learned  Christian  authors  of 
those  times. 

Some  of  those  who  were  induced  by  the  pub- 
lications of  infidels  to  advocate  the  cause  of  our 
holy  religion,  were  Clarke,  Waterland,  Sherlock, 
Warburton,  Leland,  Berkeley,  and  Butler.  By 
collecting  a  mass  of  incontrovertible  evidence 
in  favor  of  the  authenticity  of  the  gospel  his- 
tory, Lardner  '  established  a  bulwark  on  the  side 
of  truth  which  infidelity  has  never  presumed  to 
attack.'* 

Doddridge  himself  early  entered  the  field  of 
controversy  as  a  champion  for  the  truth  of  the 
Christian  religion.  His  Sermons  on  the  Evi- 
dences of  the  glorious  gospel,  and  his  Letters  iu 
reply  to  an  infidel  publication  entitled  Christ- 
ianity not  founded  on  Argument,  show  how  ably 
and  successfully  he  contended  for  the  faith  of 
the  gospel. 

On  the  publication  of  these  apologetic  Letters, 
in  1743,  a  divine  of  our  own  country,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Pemberton,  of  New  York,  wrote  to  Dod- 
dridge a  congratulatory  letter,  in  which  he  says : 

*  '  Lardner's  works  contain  a  mine  of  theological  learning, 
in  which  the  student  may  toil  till  he  is  weary,  and  from 
which  he  can  not  fail  to  bring  away  much  that  is  curious  and 
edifying.' — Dr.  Dibdin. 


niS  TIMES.  21 

*It  is  melancholy  to  hear  of  the  extensive  pro- 
gress of  deism  in  the  European  world ;  but  at 
the  same  time,  it  is  a  matter  of  rejoicing  to  all 
who  wish  well  to  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  that 
God  is  raising  up  from  time  to  time  some  noble 
champions  who  successfully  plead  the  cause  of 
truth,  and  with  convincing  evidence  maintain 
the  divine  authority  of  the  gospel  against  the 
impetuous  attacks  of  its  adversairies.  Among 
the  number  of  these  faithful  advocates  for  reli- 
gion. Dr.  Doddridge  will  always  be  mentioned 
with  distinguished  honor. 

'  I  have  frequently  read  your  Sermons  upon 
the  Evidences  of  the  gospel  with  the  greatest 
pleasure,  in  which  the  substance  of  many  vo- 
lumes is  comprised,  cast  into  a  clear  method, 
and  admirably  adapted  to  the  common  capaci- 
ties of  mankind.  Your  answers  to  Christianity 
not  founded,  ^c,  will,  I  doubt  not,  be  sufficient 
to  overthrow  the  scheme  of  that  unhappy  writer, 
and  prevent  every  considerate  reader  from  being 
deceived  by  the  plausible  appearance  he  makes.' 

Such  is  only  a  glance  at  the  age  in  which,  in 
the  providence  of  God,  Doddridge  was  raised 
Up  to  be  an  advocate  of  the  Christian  revela- 
tion, an  ornament  to  the  church,  a  blessing  to 
his  country  and  the  worlci,  a  promoter  of  vital 
religion,  and  a  guiding-star  to  the  Saviour. 


CHAPTEE   II. 

HIS  STUDENT-LIFE. 

iiiLip  Doddridge  was  born  in  London, 
on  the  26tli  of  June,  1702,  tlie  same 
year  in  whicli  Queen  Anne  ascended 
mi  tlie  throne.  Regarding  his  ancestry,  but 
l^  little  information  has  descended  to  our 
times.  A  brother  of  his  great  grandfather. 
Sir  John  Doddridge,  of  a  Devonshire  family, 
was  distinguished  for  his  legal  attainments 
and  general  erudition.  He  was  solicitor  gene- 
ral in  the  reign  of  James  I,  and  wrote  seve- 
ral elaborate  treatises  on  subjects  belonging  to 
his  profession.  He  died  on  the  13th  of  Sep- 
tember, 1628,  in  the  seventy-third  year  of  his 
age.  Thomas  Fuller  speaks  of  him  as  '  the 
honor  of  his  robe  and  profession ; '  and  a  living 
author,  in  alluding  to  his  character,  says  :  'Sir 
John  was  a  bookworm  and  a  scholar ;  and  for  a 
great  period  of  his  life,  a  man  of  mighty  indus- 
try.    His  ruling  passion  went  with  him  to  the 


Ills  STUDENT-LIFE.  23 

grave ;  for  he  chose  to  be  buried  ir.  Exeter 
Cathedral,  at  the  threshold  of  its  library.'* 

John  Doddridge,  the  grandfather  of  Philip, 
was  educated  for  the  ministry  at  the  University 
of  Oxford  ;  and  became  ^rector  of  Shepperton, 
in  Middlesex.  He  was  one  of  the  ejected  min- 
isters, in  1662.  Dr.  Calamy,  in  his  Nonconform- 
ist's Memorial.,  describes  him  '  as  an  ingenious  man 
and  a  scholar  ;  an  acceptable  preacher,  and  a  very 
peaceable  divine.'  He  died  suddenly  in  1689, 
*  much  respected  and  beloved  by  his  people.' 

Daniel  Doddridge,  his  son,  resided  in  London, 
where  he  carried  on  the  trade  of  an  oilman.  He 
married  the  only  daughter  of  Mr.  Bauman,  a 
Bohemian  clergyman,  who,  fleeing  from  his 
native  country  to  escape  the  persecution  which 
arose  in  Bohemia,  after  the  expulsion  of  Frede- 
rick, the  Elector  of  Palatine,  came  to  London 
about  the  year  1626,  that  he  might  enjoy  great- 
er liberty  of  conscience  in  matters  of  religion. 
From  this  union  sprung  a  family  of  twenty 
children,  of  whom  Philip,  the  subject  of  the 
\>resent  memoir,  was  the  youngest.     The  rest  of 

■5^  For  some  notices  of  this  le.arned  ancestor  of  Dr.  Doddridge, 
see  Wood's  Athense  Ozonicnses  ,•  Fuller's  Ilistori/  of  the  Worthies 
of  England ;  Prince's  Worthies  of  Devonshire ;  Hearne's  Dis- 
courses;  Bridgman's  Legal  Bibliography ;  and  the  Biographia 
Britannica  (second  edition),  in  a  note  on  th.e  Life  of  Philip 
Doddridge. 


24  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

this  large  famity,  with  the  exception  of  a  daugh- 
ter, who  lived  to  become  the  wife  of  a  dissent- 
ing minister,  died  young.  At  his  birth,  Philip 
Doddridge  manifested  so  little  vitality  that  he 
was  laid  aside  as  dead;  but.  Divine  Providence 
having  a  noble  w^ork  for  him  to  perform,  his 
life  was  mercifully  spared  to  the  church  and  the 
world.  His  constitution,  however,  originally 
feeble,  never  became  robust. 

At  an  early  age,  he  received  his  first  religious 
instruction  from  his  mother,  who  is  said  to  have 
been  a  woman  of  eminent  piety.  She  encour- 
aged her  boy  in  the  study  of  Scripture  history, 
'  by  pointing  out  and  amplifying,  with  a  mother's 
loving  simplicity  and  graphic  power,  the  scenes 
of  Holy  Writ  depicted  on  the  blue  Dutch  tiles, 
which,  according  to  the  fashion  of  the  day, 
lined  the  chimney  corner.  That  domestic  inci- 
dent has  long  been  looked  on  as  a  sort  of  poetic 
legend  in  ISTonconformist  biography,  as  it  well 
may,  when  one  remembers  that  the  little  fellow, 
leaning  on  his  mother's  knee,  and  following 
the  direction  of  her  finger,  and  listening  to  her 
simple,  easy  words,  was  the  destined  author  of 
\hQ  Famibj  Expositor.'  The  religious  impressions 
thus  early  made  on  his  mind,  by  the  teachings 
of  an  intelligent  and  pious  parent,  were  deep 
and  lasting. 


01   TUS 

EIS  STUDENT-LIF\^   ^  o>25 

On  the  influence  of  motliers  in  m^^mfettOjO- 
of  tlie  moral  and  literary  character  of  their  oiF- 
spring,  Mr.  Disraeli  has  this  excellent  observa- 
tion :  '  The  first  durable  impressions  of  our 
moral  nature  come  from  the  mother.  The  first 
prudential  wisdom  to  which  genius  listens,  falls 
from  her  lips,  and  only  her  caresses  can  create 
the  moments  of  tenderness.  The  earnest  dis- 
cernment of  a  mother's  love  survives  in  the  im- 
agination of  manhood.'*  Among  the  most  dis- 
tinguished of  those  whose  earliest  religious 
feelings  may  be  traced  to  the  affectionate  influ- 
ence, the  pious  example,  and  the  religious  in- 
struction of  their  mothers,  may  be  recorded  the 
names  of  St.  Augustin,  Richard  Hooker,  Bp. 
Hall,  John  IsTewton,  Samuel  Davies,  Eichard 
Cecil,  Bp.  Watson,  and  Timothy  Dwight,  B.  D. 

Doddridge  was  instructed  in  the  elements  of 
classical  literature  by  Mr.  Scott,  a  clergyman, 
who  kept  an  academy  in  London.  In  1712, 
when  he  had  attained  his  tenth  year,  he  was  re- 
moved to  Kingston-on-Thames,  a  flourishing 
town  in  the  county  of  Surrey,  ten  miles  south- 
west of  London.  Here  he  was  placed  in  a 
Grammar  school,  over  which  presided  the  Hev. 
Mr.  Mayo,  whose  ministry  he  attended,  and  to 
whose  pious  counsels  he  considered  himself  deep- 

^  The  Literary  Character  •  or  the  History  of  Men  of  Genius. 

3 


26  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

\y  indebted.  During  the  three  years  whicli 
young  Doddridge  spent  at  Kingston  he  was 
noted  and  esteemed  for  his  sweet  disposition, 
his  unaffected  piety,  and  his  unremitting  appli- 
cation to  study. 

In  the  summer  of  1715,  he  was  called  to 
endure  a  severe  affliction  in  the  death  of  his 
father ;  and  though  so  sad  an  event  deeply  af- 
fected him,  yet  he  was  resigned  to  the  Divine 
will,  and  enabled,  with  all  confidence,  to  look 
up  to  his  Heavenly  Father,  for  support  and  com- 
fort, breathing  this  pious  reflection :  *  God  is  an 
immortal  Father;  my  soul  rejoiceth  in  Him: 
He  has  hitherto  helped  me  and  provided  for 
me ;  may  it  be  my  study  to  approve  myself  a 
more  affectionate,  grateful,  and  dutiful  child.'* 
About  the  same  period,  it  is  believed,  his  excel- 
lent mother  was  also  removed  by  death ;  and  he 
was  thus  early  left  a  helpless  orphan.  In  his 
beautiful  sermon.  The  Orphan' sHope^  he  tonchmg- 
\j  alludes  to  the  bereavements  of  his  early  days : 
*  I  am  under  some  peculiar  obligations  to  desire 
and  attempt  the  relief  of  orphans,  as  I  know  the 
heart  of  an  orphan ;  having  been  deprived  of 
both  my  parents  at  an  age  in  which  it  might 
reasonably  be  supposed  a  child  should  be  most 
sensible  of  such  a  loss.' 

*  'Sweet  are  the  uses  of  adversity.' — Shakespeare. 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  27 

About  the  time  of  his  father's  death  he  was 
placed  under  the  care  of  the  Rev.  I^athaniel 
Wood,  teacher  of  a  school  at  St.  Albans,  an  old 
town  so  'famed  for  the  remains  of  its  noble 
abbey.'* 

While  pursuing  his  studies  here,  he  became 
acquainted  with  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  D.  D., 
a  great-grandson  of  Samuel  Clarke,  the  martyr- 
ologist,  and  a  gentleman  who,  'with  ample 
means,  possessed  a  large  heart,  and  to  extensive 
erudition  added  unaffected  piety.'  His  admira- 
ble Collection  of  Scripture  Promises,  has  been  fre- 
quently reprinted,  and  is  still  popular. f 

Dr.  Clarke  was  for  many  years  pastor  of  the 
nonconformist  congregation  at  St.  Albans.  And 
here,  Doddridge,  while  a  student,  attended  his 

*  "St.  Albans  (sent  awl'banz),  a  borough  and  town  of  Eng- 
land, county  of  Hertford,  10  miles  N.  W.  of  London,  6J  miles 
N.  E.  of  the  Watford  station  of  the  London  and  Birmingham 
railway.  Pop,  of  the  borough,  in  1851,  7,000." — Imperial 
Gazeteer. 

•j-  '  Your  book  on  The  Promises,  is  exceedingly  useful  to  my 
pupils,  to  whom  I  fail  not  earnestly  to  recommend  it,  and  am 
reading  it  over  in  the  family,  with  brief  devotional  remarks 
every  Lord's  day  morning.' — Doddridge;  in  a  letter  to  Dr. 
Clarke,  dated  May  2,  1740. 

Dr.  Watts,  in  his  beautiful  notice  of  The  Scripture  Promises, 
says  :  '  Those  who  have  little  leisure  for  reading,  may  find  their 
account  in  keeping  this  book  always  near  them ;  and,  with  the 
glance  of  an  eye,  they  may  take  in  the  riches  of  grace  and 
glory,    and   derive  many   a   sweet   refreshment  from  hence. 


28  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

ministry  whicli  seems  to  have  impressed  his 
youthful  miud  more  and  more  *  with  the  beauty 
of  holiness  and  the  blessedness  of  a  religious 
life.'  At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  was  admitted 
to  the  church  under  Dr.  Clarke.  His  reflections 
on  the  solemn  occasion  of  his  first  approach  to 
the  Lord's  table,  as  recorded  in  his  diary,  beauti- 
fully express  the  feelings  of  a  devout  heart :  '  I 
rose  early  this  morning,  read  that  part  of  Mr. 
Henry's  book  on  the  Lord's  supper,  which  treats 
of  due  approach  to  it.  I  endeavored  to  excite  in 
myself  those  dispositions  and  affections  which 
he  mentions  as  pl'oper  for  that  ordinance.  As  I 
endeavored  to  prepare  my  heart,  according  to  the 
preparation  of  the  sanctuary,  though  wdth  many 
defects,  God  was  pleased  to  meet  me,  and  give 
me  sweet  communion  with  Himself,  of  which  I 
desire  always  to  retain  a  grateful  sense.  I,  this 
day,  in  the  strength  of  Christ,  renewed  my 
covenant  with  God,  and  renounced  my  cove- 
nant with   sin.      I  vowed    against    every   sin, 

amidst  their  labors  and  travels  through  this  wilderness.  It  is 
of  excellent  use  to  lie  on  the  table  in  a  chamber  of  sickness, 
and  now  and  then  to  take  a  sip  of  the  River  of  Life,  which 
runs  through  it  in  a  thousand  little  rills  of  peace  and  joy.' 

The  Rev.  Ralf  Wardlaw,  D.  D.,  who  wrote  an  essay  for  the 
new  edition  of  Clarke's  Scripture  Promises,  in  1850,  says: 
*  The  volume  is  like  an  arranged  museum  of  gems,  and  precious 
stones,  and  pearls  of  inestimable  value.' 


mS  STUDENT-LIFE.  29 

and  resolved  carefully  to  perform  every  duty. 
The  Lord  keep  this  in  the  imagination  of  my  heart, 
and  grant  I  may  not  deal  treacherously  with 
Him !  In  the  evening  I  read  and  thought  on 
some  of  Mr.  Henry's  directions  for  a  suitable 
conversation  after  the  Lord's  supper :  and  then 
prayed,  begging  that  God  would  give  me  grace 
so  to  act  as  he  requires  and  as  I  have  bound  my- 
self. I  then  looked  over  the  memorandums  of 
this  day,  comparing  the  manner  in  which  I  spent 
it,  and  blessed  be  God,  I  had  reason  to  do  it 
with  some  pleasure,  though  in  some  instances 
I  found  cause  for  humiliation. - 

On  leaving  the  school  of  St.  Albans,  in  1718, 
Doddridge  resided  for  some  time  with  his  sister, 
who  was  now  married  to  the  Eev.  John  E'ettle- 
ton,  a  nonconformist  minister  at  Ougar,  in  Essex. 

About  this  time  he  appears  to  have  entertained 
the  idea  of  devoting  himself  to  the  ministry. 
But  he  knew  not  how  to  complete  his  prepara- 
tory course  for  want  of  means,  as  he  was  now 
reduced  in  circumstances,  by  the  imprudence  of 
the  person,  who,  after  his  father's  death,  had  the 
charge  of  his  pecuniary  affairs.  During  his 
continuance  at  the  house  of  Mr.  l^ettleton  the 
Duchess  of  Bedford  generously  offered  to  de- 
fray the  expenses  of  his  education  in  one  of  the 
universities,  if  he  would  consent  to  unite  with 


30  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

the  Cliurcli  of  England ;  but,  like  Dr.  Watts, 
who  received  a  similar  proposition,  he  respect- 
fully declined  it,  because  he  could  not  conscien- 
tiously comply  with  the  terms  of  ministerial 
conformity.  Still  he  was  at  a  loss  what  course 
to  pursue.  In  painful  suspense,  and  with  a 
trembling  heart,  he  at  length  ventured  to  call  on 
the  eminent  Dr.  Calamy  for  advice  and  assist- 
ance.* But,  receiving  no  encouragement  from 
him,  he  returned  to  his  lodging  with  a  heavy 
heart,  and  made  the  following  entry  in  his  diary : 

*  Edmund  Calamy  was  born  on  the  5th  of  April,  1671.  He 
was  a  grandson  of  the  eloquent  Dr.  Calamy,  minister  of  Alder- 
manbury,  a  distinguished  member  of  the  Westminster  Assem- 
bly, and  one  of  the  authors  of  Smectymnuus,  an  answer  to  Bp. 
Hall's  Divine  Right  of  Episcopacy.  He  received  a  thorough 
academical  education ;  and  in  1688,  was  sent  to  the  University 
of  Utrecht,  where  he  applied  himself  so  assiduously  to  his 
studies,  that  he  is  said  to  have  spent  *  one  whole  night  every 
week  among  his  books.'  In  1692,  he  was  chosen  assistant  to 
the  Rev.  Matthew  Sylvester,  at  Blackfriars,  London.  In  1703, 
he  became  pastor  of  a  congregation  at  Westminster.  He  lived 
to  see  Doddridge  become  a  useful  minister,  an  author,  and 
pastor  of  a  congregation  at  Northampton.  He  died,  greatly 
lamented,  on  the  3d  of  June,  1732,  in  the  sixty-second  year  of 
his  age.  Dr.  Calamy  was  a  celebrated  nonconformist  and 
polemic  ;  highly  esteemed  among  the  dissenters,  and  by  many 
clergymen  of  the  established  church.  He  is  the  author  of 
Memoirs  of  the  Rev.  John  Howe,  8vo.,  1724;  An  Abridgment  of 
Baxter'' s  Life  and  Times,  with  an  account  of  the  ejected  Ministers^ 
4  vols.,  8vo.,  1713-27.  An  Historical  Account  of  His  own  Life^ 
2  vols.,  8vo,  1830.     Sermons,  etc. 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  31 

*  I  waited  upon  Dr.  Edmund  Calamy  to  beg  his 
advice  and  assistance,  that  I  might  be  brought 
up  a  minister,  which  has  always  been  my  great 
desire.  He  gave  me  no  encouragement  in  it, 
but  advised  me  to  turn  my  thoughts  to  some- 
thing else.  It  was  with  great  concern,  that  I 
received  such  advice;  but  I  desire  to  follow 
Providence  and  not  force  it.  The  Lord  give  me 
grace  to  glorify  Him  in  whatever  station  He  sets 
me  :  then,  here  am  J,  let  Him  do  with  me  what 
seemeth  good  in  His  sight.' "^ 

He  then  received  an  advantageous  proposal  to 
enter  on  the  study  of  the  law,  and  was  on  the 
point  of  accepting  it ;  but,  before  taking  a  deci- 
sive step,  he  set  apart  one  morning  to  seek  the 
Divine  direction. f  While  engaged  in  his  devo- 
tions, the  post-man  called  at  his  door  with  a  letter 
from  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  in  which  that  excel- 
lent divine  very  generously  offered  to  take  him  un- 

*  '  There  is  surely  no  imaginable  situation  of  mina  so  sweet 
and  so  reasonable,  as  tbat  which  we  feel  when  we  humbly 
refer  ourselves,  in  all  things  to  the  Divine  disposal,  in  an  entire 
suspension  of  our  own  will,  seeing  and  owning  the  hand  of 
God,  and  bowing  before  it  with  a  filial  acquiescence.' — Dod- 
dridge ;  in  his  sermon  on  submission  to  Divine  Providence  in  the 
death  of  children. 

f  The  writer  of  the  article  on  Doddridge,  in  The  New  Ameri- 
can Cyclopsedia,  is  mistaken  in  saying,  that  *  he  pursued  for 
some  time  the  study  of  the  law.' 


32  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

der  his  own  roof,  and  furnisli  him  with  means  for 
prosecuting  his  preparatory  studies  for  the  minis- 
try. The  reader  can  imagine  with  what  heart-felt 
gratitude  the  youthful  Doddridge  received  this 
cheering  communication,  and  with  what  delight 
he  sat  down  to  write  the  following  passage  in  his 
diary :  '  This  I  looked  upon  almost  as  an  answer 
from  heaven,  and,  while  I  live,  shall  always 
adore  so  seasonable  an  interposition  of  Divine 
Providence.  I  have  sought  God's  direction  in 
this  matter,  and  I  hope  I  have  had  it.  My  only 
view  in  my  choice  hath  been  that  of  more  ex- 
tensive service,  and  I  beg  God  would  make  me 
an  instrument  of  doing  much  good  in  the  world.* 
Thus  was  Doddridge  led  into  the  ministry; 
and  to  this  favorable  interposition  of  Divine 
Providence  in  raising  up  for  him  such  a  friend 
as  Dr.  Clarke,  he  refers  in  the  following  passage 
in  his  sermon  on  The  Orphan's  Hope,  preached 
from  Psalm  27 :  10  :  '  When  my  father  and  my 
mother  forsake  me,  then  the  Lord  will  take  me 
up.'  '■  There  are,  my  friends,  I  am  sure  there  are, 
those  amongst  us  this  day,  who  can  set  our  seal 
to  the  truth  of  what  has  now  been  spoken,  and 
can  say,  in  the  language  of  the  text,  that  when 
our  father  and  our  mother  did  both  of  them  for- 
sake us,  then  the  Lord  actually  took  us  up,  and 
proved  a  most  gracious  Parent  to  us.  He  supplied 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  33 

the  breaches  that  He  made,  and  by  a  train  of 
providence,  which  we  cannot  but  admire  in  the 
review,  raised  np  other  friends  for  us ;  and  it 
may  be,  inspired  almost  with  the  tenderness  of 
parents,  persons  who  were  ever  unknown  to  us, 
when  the  last  of  our  parents  was  taken  away. 
iNay,  perhaps,  some  of  us  may  say,  that  the  death 
of  a  valuable  parent,  which  we  feared  would  be 
our  ruin,  has  proved  in  some  of  its  then  un- 
thought-of  consequences,  on  the  whole,  a  very 
great  mercy  to  us.' 

While  at  St.  Albans  with  his  generous  friend, 
for  whom  he  ever  retained  a  strong  feeling  of 
gratitude  and  respect,  Doddridge  pursued  his 
studies  with  ardor  and  facility,  having  access  to 
the  well  furnished  library  of  Dr.  Clarke,  and  re- 
ceiving his  constant  advice  and  instruction. 

In  1716,  when  only  fourteen  years  of  age,  he 
commenced  keeping  a  diary,  in  which  he  '  ac- 
counted for  every  hour  of  his  time.'  He  was 
one  who  employed  his  time  to  the  greatest  pos- 
sible advantage.  Few,  indeed,  have  been  so 
sensible  of  its  value.  It  would,  perhaps,  be  dif- 
ficult to  find  a  Christian  who  has  more  faith- 
fully regarded  the  apostolic  exhortation ;  '  See 
then  that  ye  walk  circumspectly,  not  as  fools, 
but  as  wise,  redeeming  the  time,  because  the  days 
are  evil.'     That  he  might  have  more  time  for 


34  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

study  and  devotion,  lie  enforced  upon  himself 
the  necessity  of  early  rising ;  and  we  are  told 
that  '  unless  severely  indisposed,  he  quitted  his 
bed,  winter  and  summer,  at  five  o'clock.'  His 
own  language  will  best  show  how  careful  he  was 
to  improve  the  precious  hours  of  life  :  '  I  am 
generally  employed,  with  very  short  intervals, 
from  morning  to  night,  and  have  seldom  more 
than  six  hours  in  bed  ;  yet,  such  is  the  goodness 
of  God  to  me,  that  I  seldom  know  what  it  is  to 
be  weary.'  Such  a  course  he  pursued,  not  only 
while  a  student,  but  through  his  subsequent  life. 
And  to  this  habit  of  early  rising  we  are  told 
that  '  he  used  to  ascribe  a  great  part  of  the  pro- 
gress he  had  made  in  learning.' 

In  this  Doddridge  followed  the  example  of 
Milton,  and  other  famous  and  industrious  au- 
thors. Says  the  great  epic  poet,  in  alluding 
to  his  own  early  rising  and  morning  employ- 
ments :  '  My  morning  haunts  are,  where  they 
should  be,  at  home  ;  not  sleeping,  or  concocting 
the  surfeits  of  an  irregular  feast,  but  up  and  stir- 
ring ;  in  winter,  often  ere  the  sound  of  any  bell 
awake  men  to  labor  or  to  devotion  ;  in  summer, 
as  oft  with  the  bird  that  first  rises,  or  not  much 
tardier,  to  read  good  authors,  or  cause  them  to 
be  read  till  attention  be  weary,  or  memory  have 
its  full  freight.' 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  85 

Oil !  there  is  a  charm 
That  morning  has,  that  gives  the  brow  of  age 
A  smack  of  youth,  and  makes  the  life  of  youth 
Breathe  perfume  exquisite.     Expect  it  not, 
Ye  who  till  noon  upon  a  down-bed  lie. 
Indulging  feverish  sleep,  or  wakeful  dream 
Of  happiness  no  mortal  heart  has  felt. 
But  in  regions  of  romance. —  Hurdis. 

In  the  autumn  of  1719,  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
J)oddridge  removed  to  the  quiet  village  of  Kib- 
worth,  in  Leicestershire,  to  prosecute  his  theolog- 
ical studies  under  the  learned  and  pious  John 
Jennings,  D.  D.,  principal  of  a  dissenting  academy 
in  that  town.*    Dr.  John  Jennings  is  the  author 

*  The  Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton,  of  London,  has  committed  an  er- 
ror in  saying  that  the  academy  at  Kibworth  was  conducted  by 
the  Rev.  David  Jennings,  when  Doddridge  was  a  student  in 
that  institution.  See  his  article  on  Doddridge  in  the  North  Bri- 
tish Review,  xiv,  190  /  and  also  in  his  Christian  Classics,  vol.  ui, 
866,  ed.  of  1859,  published  by  the  llessrs.  Carter,  in  4  vols.  12mo. 

The  Rev.  J.  R.  Boyd  has  also  made  a  similar  mistake  in  sta- 
ting that  the  Rev.  John  Jennings  was  the  *  author  of  the 
learned  work  on  The  Antiquities  of  the  Jews.'  See  his  Me- 
moirs of  the  Life,  Character  and  Writings  of  Doddridge ,'  published 
by  the  American  Tract  Society,  12mo.,p.  22. 

In  both  of  these  statements  the  facts  are,  that  the  author  of 
the  valuable  treatise  on  Jewish  Antiquities  was  the  Rev.  David 
Jennings,  D.  D.,  a  brother  of  John  Jennings,  D.  D.,  the  tutor 
of  Doddridge. 

David  Jennings  was  born  in  1691  ;  and  died  in  1762.  He 
ff&a  divinity  tutor  at  Coward's  academy  in  1744.     He  was  also 


g6  r.IFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

of  two  discourses  on  Preaching  Christ,  and  Partic- 
ular and  Experimental  Preaching,  first  published 
in  1723,  with  a  recommendatory  preface  by  Dr. 
Watts.  These  excellent  discourses,  which  de- 
serve '  the  serious  attention  of  every  minister,' 
are  included,  in  an  abridged  form,  in  Dr.  Wil- 
liams' Christian  Preacher. 

At  the  Kib worth  academy, '  Doddridge  was  a 
diligent  scholar,  and  studied  with  great  care  the 
Greek  and  Latin  classics,  and  the  Scriptures  in 
the  original  languages.  Like  Isaac  Watts,  in 
his  academical  course,  he  adopted  the  excellent 
method  of  epitomizing  some  of  the  most  valuable 
books  he  perused,  or  of  writing  observations  on 
them.  In  reading  he  especially  extracted  such 
passages  as  might  illustrate  any  particular  text 
of  scripture,  or  in  any  other  way  be  of  service  to 
him  in  his  preparations  for  the  pulpit.  His  an- 
notations on  Homer  alone,  it  is  said,  would  fill 
a  good  sized  volume. 

He  was  particularly  fond  of  the  Greek  classics, 
and  studied  them  with  great  admiration,   espe- 

pastor  of  a  congregation  in  Old  Gravel  Lane,  Wapping,  1744- 
62.  His  work  on  Jewish  Antiquities  '  has  long  held  a  distin- 
guished character  for  its  accuracy  and  learning,'  John  Jen- 
nings accepted  a  call  from  the  dissenting  church  at  Hinckly  in 
1722,  and  died  the  following  year  in  the  prime  of  life.  The 
names  of  these  excellent  brothers  occupy  a  distinguished  place 
in  non-conformist  literature. 


niS  STUDENT-LIFE.  87 

cially  Homer,  Pindar,  Xenophon,  Isocrates, 
Theocritus,  Epictetus  and  Lucian.  In  Roman 
literature  he  read  Terence,  Horace  and  Cicero. 
In  this  manner  he  laid  a  foundation  for  that  '  sol- 
idity, strength  and  correctness,  both  of  senti- 
ment and  style,  which  must  seldom  be  expected 
where  those  great  originals  are  unknown  or  dis- 
regarded.'* 

While  at  the  Kib worth  academy,  Doddridge 
also  studied  French,  reading  some  of  the  best 
authors  in  that  language,  both  in  poetry  and 
prose.  Speaking  of  Racine,  whose  pathos  is  so 
profound,  and  the  grace  and  melody  of  whose 
diction  are  so  exquisite,  he  says,  in  a  letter  to 
a  friend :  '  Of  all  their  dramatic  poets,  I  have 
met  with  none  that  I  admire  so  much  as  Racine. 
It  is  impossible  not  to  be  charmed  with  the 
pomp,  elegance  and  harmony  of  his  language, 

*  On  the  utility  of  the  study  of  the  classics  in  the  liberal  edu- 
cation of  young  men,  the  Rev.  John  Todd,  D.  D.,  has  this  forcible 
and  happy  remark  :  *  I  do  not  believe  it  is  possible  to  educate 
the  mind  so  as  to  fit  it  for  extensive  influence  in  this  age  of 
the  world,  without  the  classics.  You  wish  for  a  perfect,  ac- 
curate, and  complete  power  over  your  own  language,  so  as  to 
make  it  a  faultless  vehicle  of  thought.  And  where  can  you 
find  a  discipline  so  sure  to  give  this,  as  the  study  of  that  most 
perfect,  philosophical,  and  beautiful  of  all  human  tongues  — 
the  Greek  ?  and  also  the  study  of  that  noble  language,  fitted 
for  the  majesty  of  the  mightiest  people  the  earth  ever  saw  — 
the  Latin  ?  ' —  Oration  delivered  at  Union  College^  Sept.  21,  1846. 

4 


38  LIFE  OF  DR.   DODDRIDGE. 

as  well  as  tlie  majesty,  tenderness  and  propriety 
of  his  sentiments.  The  whole  is  conducted  with 
a  wonderful  mixture  of  grandeur  and  simplicity, 
which  sufficiently  distinguish  him  from  the  dull- 
ness of  some  tragedians,  and  the  bombast  of 
others.'  Another  French  author,  whose  works 
he  read  with  pleasure,  was  the  eminent  and 
pious  Fenelon.  He  writes  in  the  letter  just 
quoted :  '  I  lately  met  with  the  archbishop  of 
Cambray's  Reflections  upon  Eloquence,  which  I 
think  one  of  the  most  judicious  pieces  I  have 
ever  seen.  There  are  some  fine  criticisms  at  the 
end  of  it,  which  well  deserve  your  perusal.' 
Fenelon's  Telemachus,  and  Bourdaloue's  Sermons, 
were  used  as  text  books  in  the  academy  of  Mr. 
Jennings,  at  Kibworth,  and  Doddridge  does  not 
seem  to  have  lost  the  opportunity  of  becoming 
acquainted  with  the  finest  passages  of  these 
noble  authors. 

In  addition  to  this  classical,  he  cultivated, 
while  under  the  care  of  Dr.  Jennings,  general 
literature.  We  are  told  that,  in  the  space  of  six 
months,  he  perused  with  care  as  many  as  sixty 
volumes,  including  Patrick's  Commentary  on  the 
Old  Testament;  the  works  of  Tillotson,*  then  his 

*  Beautifully  and  forcibly  has  the  character  of  Dr.  Tillotson 
been  drawn  by  the  pen  of  Bp.  Burnet,  his  intimate  and  valued 
friend:  'He  was  the  man  of  the  truest  judgment  and  best 
temper  I  had  ever  known  :  he  had  a  clear  head,  with  a  most 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  39 

principal  favorite ;  and  the  Boyle  lectures  in 
defense  of  natural  and  revealed  reliction.* 

The  course  of  his  reading  in  the  department 
of  theological  literature  was  very  extensive. 
Some  of  the  other  works  he  speaks  of  reading 
at  this  period,  were  Barrow's  Sermons ;  Scott's 

tender  and  compassionate  heart :  he  was  a  faithful  and  zealous 
friend,  but  a  gentle  and  soon  conquered  enemy  :  he  was  truly 
and  seriously  religious,  but  without  affectation,  bigotry  or 
superstition :  his  notions  of  morality  were  fine  and  sublime : 
his  thread  of  reasoning  was  easy,  clear,  and  solid :  he  was  not 
only  the  best  preacher  of  the  age,  but  seemed  to  have  brought 
preaching  to  perfection :  his  sermons  were  so  well  heard  and 
liked,  and  so  much  read  that  all  the  nation  proposed  him  as  a 
pattern,  and  studied  to  copy  after  him.' — History  of  his  Own 
Time. 

*  '  The  Boyle  lectureship  was  founded  at  Oxford  by  that 
illustrious  philosopher,  the  Hon.  Robert  Boyle.  Its  design 
is,  '  to  prove  the  truth  of  the  Christian  religion  against  infidels, 
without  descending  to  any  controversies  among  Christians,  and 
to  answer  new  difficulties,  scruples,'  &c.  It  has  produced 
some  very  valuable  works  on  the  being  and  attributes  of  God. 
The  preacher,  at  this  lectureship,  was  to  be  chosen  for  a  period 
not  longer  than  three  years.  Some  of  the  earlier  preachers, 
whose  lectures  are  published,  were  Dr.  R.  Bently,  Bp.  Kidder, 
Bp.  Gastrell,  Dr.  John  Harris,  Dean  Stanhope,  Dr.  Samuel 
Clarke,  W.  Whiston,  and  Dr.  W.  Derham. 

In  1739,  a  collection  of  the  Boyle  lectures  was  published  in 
3  vols,  folio.  Of  this  collection,  Bp,  Watson  says :  *  If  all 
other  defenses  of  religion  were  lost,  there  is  solid  reasoning 
enough  (if  properly  weighed),  in  these  three  volumes  to  re- 
move the  scruples  of  most  unbelievers.' 


40  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

Christian  Life;  Burnet's  Sacred  Theory  of  the 
Earth;    Locke's   Essay    Concerning   the  Human 

Understanding ;  Lord  Shaftesbury's  works,  con- 
taining 'a  strange  mixture  of  good  sense  and 
extravagance ;'  Prideaux's  Connection  of  the  Old 
and  New  Testament  with  the  History  of  the  Jews 
and  Neighboring  Nations,  '  wHch/  he  says  '  I  am 
now  reading  with  a  particular  view  to  the  pro- 
phecies ;'  The  Spectator;  and  various  other  essays, 
besides  poems  and  travels. 

The  lines  of  Dr.  Johnson  may  be  suitably 
applied  to  Doddridge,  during  his  student-life  : 

*  His  force  of  genius  burned  in  early  youth 
With  thirst  of  knowledge  and  with  love  of  truth  ; 
His  learning,  joined  with  each  endearing  art, 
Charmed  every  ear  and  gained  on  every  heart.' 

But,  at  Kibworth,  books  did  not  engage  his 
undivided  attention.  He  also  studied  with  great 
diligence  the  volume  of  nature.  Li  the  solitude 
of  the  surrounding  country  he  seems  to  have 
loved  to  ramble  in  the  open  fields,  deeply  inte- 
rested in  the  various  scenes  and  objects  around 
him ;  now  viewing  the  broad  and  beautiful 
meadows,  and  the  clear,  silvery  streams;  now 
listening  to  the  murmuring  sound  of  brooks, 
and  the   sweet  music    of  birds;   now  looking 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  41 

upon  tlie  deep,  blue  sky,  and  the  floating  clouds  ;* 
and  now,  with  silent  admiration,  contemplating 
the  splendors  of  a  summer  sunset. f 

In  his  letters,  written  during  the  latter  period 
of  his  academical  course,  in  1722,  we  have  an  in- 
teresting account  of  his  studious  life.  He  speaks 
of  the  'lovely  prospect'  which  he  enjoyed  at 
Kih worth;  of 'those  agreeable  retreats  with- 
out doors,'  to  which  he  resorted ;    of  '  flowery 

*  '  To  the  wise  man,'  says  Goldsmith,  '  the  melody  of  birds 
is  more  ravishing  than  the  harmony  of  a  full  concert;  and 
the  tincture  of  the  cloud  preferable  to  the  touch  of  the  finest 
pencil. — Citizen  of  the  World. 

f  '  And  oh  ye  fountains,  meadows,  hills  and  groves, 
Think  not  of  any  severing  of  our  loves  ! 
Yet  in  my  heart  of  hearts  I  feel  your  might ; 
I  only  have  relinquished  one  delight 
To  live  beneath  your  more  habitual  sway. 
I  love  the  brooks  which  down  their  channels  fret, 
Even  more  than  when  I  tripp'ed  lightly  as  they ; 
The  innocent  brightness  of  a  new-born  day 

Is  lovely  yet ; 
The  clouds  that  gather  round  the  setting  sun 
Do  take  a  sober  coloring  from  an  eye 
That  hath  kept  watch  o'er  man's  mortality  ; 
Another  race  hath  been,  and  other  palms  are  won 
Thanks  to  the  human  heart  by  which  we  live, 
Thanks  to  its  tenderness,  its  joys,  and  fears. 
To  me  the  meanest  flower  that  blows  can  give 
Thoughts  that  do  often  lie  too  deep  for  tears.' 

Wordsworth. 


42  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

meadows,  and  purling  streams;'  of  *  gardens, 
arbors,  and  grottos;'  and  of  all  ' those  pretty 
embellishments  of  nature '  which  afford  so  much 
gratification  to  persons  of  highly  imaginative 
minds  and  exquisite  tastes.  Amidst  those 
'  charming  retreats '  he  often  '  walked  alone,'  in 
the  freshness  and  brightness  of  the  morning,  in 
the  glorious  sunshine  of  midday,  or  in  the  soft- 
ness and  stillness  of  the  evening,  musing  on  the 
manifold  and  peaceful  works  of  God,  with  which 
He  has  replenished  and  adorned '  this  bright  and 
breathing  world.'* 

From  viewing  Doddridge  in  the  school  room, 
pursuing  with  ardor  the  study  of  the  classics 
and  the  sciences,  and  in  the  cool,  flowery  arbors 
or  beautiful,  open  fields,  surveying  the  works  of 
creation,  we  turn  to  consider  him  in  his  progress 
in  virtue  and  piety,  during  his  student-life. 
The  best  evidence  of  the  state  of  his  moral  and 

*  *  No  cares  or  business  here  disturb  our  hours, 
While  underneath  these  shady,  peaceful  bowers 
In  cool  delight  and  innocence  we  stray, 
And  midst  a  thousand  pleasures  pass  the  day. 
Sometimes  upon  a  river's  bank  we  lie, 
Where  skimming  swallows  o'er  the  surface  fly ; 
Just  as  the  sun  declining  with  his  beams 
Kisses,  and  gently  warms  the  gliding  streams ; 
Amidst  whose  current  rising  fishes  play, 
And  roll  in  wanton  liberty  away.' — Otway. 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  43 

religious  feelings,  wliile  under  the  care  of  Dr. 
Jennings,  is  furnished  in  a  series  of  rules  which 
he  framed  at  that  time  for  the  regulation  of  his 
conduct  and  the  cultivation  of  his  piety.  These 
rules,  formed  by  one  who  had  not  attained  the 
age  of  twenty,  show  a  remarkable  degree  of  that 
wisdom  which  is  from  above,  the  beginning  of 
which  is  the  fear  of  the  Lord,  and  a  desire  to  be 
devoted  to  His  service  and  worship.  What  more 
seasonable  rules  can  be  furnished  for  the  general 
guidance  of  students  in  the  grand  and  noble 
aims  of  the  Christian  life?  By  those,  especially, 
who  are  pursuing  a  course  of  study  preparatory 
to  the  ministry,  they  are  worthy  of  a  careful  and 
serious  attention. 

Rules  for  the  Direction  of  my  Conduct  While 
A  Student. 

1.  Let  my  first  thoughts  be  devout  and  thank- 
ful. Let  me  rise  early,  immediately  return  God 
solemn  thanks  for  the  mercies  of  the  night,  de- 
vote myself  to  Him,  and  beg  His  assistance  in 
the  intended  business  of  the  day. 

2.  In  this,  and  every  other  act  of  devotion, 
let  me  recollect  my  thoughts  ;  speak  directly  to 
Him,  and  never  give  way  to  anything  internal 
or  external  that  may  divert  my  attention. 

3.  Let  me  set  myself  to  read  the  Scriptures 


44  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

every  morning.  In  tlie  first  reading  let  me 
endeavor  to  impress  my  heart  with  a  practical 
sense  of  divine  things ;  then  use  the  help  of 
commentators.  Let  these  rules,  with  proper 
alterations,  he  observed  every  evening. 

4.  ITever  let  me  trifle  with  a  book  with  which 
I  may  have  no  present  concern.  In  applying 
myself  to  any  work,  let  me  first  recollect  what 
I  may  learn  by  it,  and  then  beg  suitable  assist- 
ance from  God ;  and  let  me  continually  endeavor 
to  make  all  my  studies  subservient  to  practical 
religion  and  ministerial  usefulness. 

5.  I^ever  let  me  lose  one  minute  of  time,  nor 
incur  unnecessary  expenses,  that  I  may  have  the 
more  to  spend  for  God. 

6.  When  I  am  called  abroad,  let  me  be  de- 
sirous of  doing  good,  and  receiving  good.  Let 
me  always  have  in  readiness  some  subject  of 
contemplation,  and  endeavor  to  improve  my 
time  with  good  thoughts  as  I  go  along.  Let  me 
endeavor  to  render  myself  agreeable,  and  useful 
to  all  about  me  by  a  tender,  compassionate, 
friendly  behavior,  avoiding  all  trifling  and  im- 
pertinent stories,  and  remembering  that  impru- 
dence is  sin, 

7.  Let  me  use  moderation  at  meals,  and  see 
that  I  am  not  hypocritical  in  prayers  and  thanks- 
giving at  them. 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  45 

8.  Let  me  never  delay  anything,  unless  I  can 
prove  that  another  time  will  be  more  fit  than  the 
present,  or  that  some  other  more  important  duty 
requires  my  attendance. 

9.  Let  me  be  often  lifting  up  my  heart  to  God 
in  the  intervals  of  secret  worship,  repeating  those 
petitions  which  are  of  the  greatest  importance, 
and  a  surrender  of  myself  to  His  service. 

10.  !N'ever  let  me  enter  into  long  schemes 
about  future  events,  but  in  general  refer  myself 
to  the  Divine  care. 

11.  Let  me  labor  after  habitual  gratitude  and 
love  to  God  and  the  Redeemer.  Let  me  guard 
against  pride,  remembering  that  I  have  all  from 
God's  hand,  and  that  I  have  deserved  the  sever- 
est punishment. 

12.  In  all  my  studies  let  me  remember  that 
the  souls  of  men  are  immortal,  and  that  Christ 
died  to  redeem  them. 

13.  Let  me  consecrate  my  sleep  and  all  my  re- 
creations to  God,  and  seek  them  for  His  sake. 

14.  Let  me  frequently  ask  myself  what  duty 
or  what  temptation  is  now  before  me  ? 

15.  Let  me  remember  that  through  the  mercy 
of  God  in  a  Redeemer,  I  hope  that  I  am  within 
a  short  space  of  heaven. 

16.  Let  me  be  frequently  surveying  these 
rules,  and  my  conduct  as  compared  with  them. 


46  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

17.  Let  me  often  recollect  wliicli  of  these 
rules  I  have  present  occasion  to  practice. 

18.  If  I  have  grossly  erred  in  any  one  of  these 
particulars,  let  me  not  think  it  an  excuse  for 
erring  in  others. 

In  connection  with  these  excellent  rules  may 
be  enumerated  a  more  brief  series  of  directions, 
prepared  about  this  time,  by  the  same  hand,  and 
for  a  similar  object. 

1.  Begin  the  day  with  God.* 

2.  Be  conscientious  and  diligent  in  the  busi- 
ness of  the  day. 

3.  Be  moderate  and  innocent  in  the  recrea- 
tions of  the  day. 

4.  Carefully  remark  and  wisely  improve  all 
providential  dispensations. 

5.  Guard  against  the  temptations  of  the  day. 

6.  Govern  your  thoughts  when  alone. 

7.  Guard  your  tongue  when  in  company. 

8.  In  everything  depend  on  the  assisting  grace 
of  God.  "Whatever  be  the  work  in  hand,  whether 
sacred  or  civil,  whether  temple  work,  domestic 

*  Be  still  with  Him  when  you  awake,  Ps.  139:18.  In  the 
morning  thank  Him  for  your  rest,  and  deliver  up  yourself  to 
His  conduct  and  service  for  the  day.  Go  forth  as  with  Him, 
and  to  do  His  work  ;  do  every  action  with  the  command  of 
God  and  the  promise  of  heaven  before  your  eyes,  and  upon 
your  hearts.  Live  as  those  who  have  incomparably  more  to 
do  with  God  and  heaven,  than  with  all  this  world. —  Baxter. 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  47 

work,  public  work  or  closet  work,  seek  divine 
assistance. 

9.  Close  the  day  with  self-examination  and 
prayer. 

It  is  worthy  of  observation  that  while  Dod- 
dridge was  framing  these  rules  in  his  academi- 
cal career,  our  great  American  theologian,  Jona- 
than Edwards,  was,  about  the  same  time,  dur- 
ing his  preparation  for,  and  shortly  after  his 
entrance  on,  the  ministry,  forming  a  series  of 
seventy  resolutions  for  the  regulation  of  his  own 
heart  and  life  ;  all  of  which,  like  those  of  Dod- 
dridge, were  written  before  the  age  of  twenty. 
In  reading  the  rules  of  Doddridge  we  were  for- 
cibly reminded  of  the  resolutions  of  Edwards,  a 
few  of  which  we  would  here  introduce.  They 
discover  a  profound  knowledge  of  the  human 
heart,  great  attainments  in  the  divine  life,  and  a 
high,  evangelical  tone.  '  These  resolutions,* 
says  S.  E.  Dwight,  ^are,  perhaps,  to  persons  of 
every  age,  but  especially  to  the  young,  the  best 
uninspired  summary  of  Christian  duty,  the  best 
directory  to  high  attainments  in  evangelical  vir- 
tue, which  the  mind  of  man  has  hitherto  been 
able  to  form.' 

Hesolved,  'Never  to  lose  one  moment  of  time, 
but  to  improve  it  in  the  most  profitable  way  I 
possibly  can. 


48  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

Resolved,  l!^ever  to  do  anything,  whicli  I  should 
be  afraid  to  do,  if  it  were  the  last  hour  of  my 
life. 

Resolved,  To  maintain  the  strictest  temper- 
ance, in  eating  and  drinking. 

Resolved,  To  study  the  Scriptures  so  steadily, 
constantly  and  frequently,  as  that  I  may  find, 
and  plainly  perceive  myself  to  grow  in  the 
knowledge  of  the  same. 

Resolved,  To  strive,  every  week,  to  be  brought 
higher  in  religion,  and  to  a  higher  exercise  of 
grace,  than  I  was  the  week  before. 

Resolved,  To  improve  every  opportunity,  when 
I  am  in  the  best  and  happiest  frame  of  mind,  to 
cast  and  venture  my  soul  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ ;  to  trust  and  confide  in  Him,  and  conse- 
crate myself  wholly  to  Him  ;  that  from  this  I 
may  have  assurance  of  my  safety,  knowing  that 
I  confide  in  my  Redeemer.     July  8,  1723. 

Resolved,  When  I  fear  misfortunes  and  adver- 
sity, to  examine  whether  I  have  done  my  duty, 
and  resolve  to  do  it,  and  let  the  event  be  just  as 
Providence  orders  it.  I  will,  as  far  as  I  can,  be 
concerned  about  nothing  but  my  duty,  and  my 
sin.     June  9  and  July  13,  1723. 

Resolved,  "When  I  find  those  '  groanings  which 
cannot  be  uttered,'  of  which  the  apostle  speaks, 
and  those   '  breakings  of  soul  for  the  longing  that  it 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE.  49 

hath^''  of  whicli  the  Psalmist  speaks,  Psalm  119: 
20  ;  that  I  will  promote  them  to  the  utmost  of 
my  power,  and  that  I  will  not  be  weary  of  ear- 
nestly endeavoring  to  vent  my  desires,  nor  of 
the  repetitions  of  such  earnestness.  July  23  and 
August  10,  1723. 

Resolved,  Yery  much  to  exercise  myself  in  this, 
all  my  life  long,  viz  :  with  the  greatest  open- 
ness of  which  I  am  capable,  to  declare  my  ways 
to  God,  and  lay  open  my  soul  to  Him ;  all  my 
sins,  temptations,  difficulties,  sorrows,  fears, 
hopes,  desires,  and  every  thing,  and  every  cir- 
cumstance, according  to  Dr.  Manton's  sermon 
on  the  119th  Psalm.  July  26,  and  August  10, 
1723. 

Resolved,  That  I  will  endeavor  always  to  keep 
a  benign  aspect  and  air  of  acting  and  speaking, 
in  all  places,  and  in  all  companies,  except  it 
should  so  happen  that  duty  requires  otherwise. 

Let  there  be  something  of  benevolence  in  all 
that  I  speak.     August  17,  1723.* 

Shortly  before  completing  his  studies,  prepara- 
tory to  the  ministry,  Doddridge  removed  with 
his  tutor,  Dr.  Jennings,  to  Hinckley,  a  populous 
and  thriving  town,  situated  in  the  county  of 
Leicester,  thirteen  miles  southwest  of  the  city 
of  Leicester.     The  country  in  the   vicinity  of 

*See  Life  of  President  Edwards^  by  S.  E.  Dwight,    pp.  67-74. 

5 


50  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

Hinckley,  he  writes,  is  '  rather  more  pleasant 
than  the  neighborhood  of  Kibworth,'  but  from 
the  window  of  his  '  very  pretty  little  chamber ' 
he  had  '  no  very  delightful  prospect.'  He  re- 
marks again,  with  reference  to  this  removal  to 
Hinckley :  '  We  have  certainly  changed  for  the 
worse  in  our  removal  from  Kibworth,  both  as  to 
house,  garden  and  fields.' 

Doddridge  finished  his  course  of  preparatory 
theological  studies  at  Hinckley  ;  and,  on  being 
licensed  to  preach,  delivered  his  first  discourse 
there  in  the  summer  of  1722,  just  after  he  had 
completed  his  twentieth  year.  The  sermon  was 
founded  on  that  striking  text :  '  If  any  man  love 
not  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  let  him  be  anathema, 
maran-atha.'  1  Cor.  16  :  22.  It  was  '  a  plain, 
practical  discourse,'  on  *  a  very  moving  sub- 
ject,' preached  to  *a  very  large  auditory.'  It  is 
interesting  to  know  that  it  was  evidently  accom- 
panied with  the  divine  blessing.  '  I  find  in  Dod- 
dridge's diary,'  says  Mr.  Orton,  *that  two  per- 
sons ascribed  their  conversion  to  the  blessing  of 
God  attending  that  sermon,  with  which  he  ap- 
pears to  have  been  much  afiected  and  encour- 
aged.' 

With  such  happy  results  opened  the  ministry 
of  Philip  Doddridge  —  a  ministry  which  was  sig- 
nally blessed  by  the  Chief  Shepherd  in  the  bring- 


HIS  STUDENT-LIFE. 


51 


ing  of  many  a  wanderer  into  the  gospel  fold,  and 
in  the  edification  and  consolation  of  many  a 
Christian  pilgrim  on  the  journey  heavenward. 
And  though  he  had  not  yet  attained  that  distin- 
guished excellence  of  Christian  character  —  that 
solemnity  of  deportment,  spirituality  of  mind, 
and  entire  devotedness  to  Cod,  which  marked 
his  future  career,  yetDoddridge's  path  hencefor- 
ward was  like  '  the  shining  light,  that  shinetb 
more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day.' 


CHAPTER    III 


his  pastorate  at  kibworth  and  market 
Harborough. 

HE  first  pastoral  settlement  of  Dod- 
dridge commenced  in  the  summer 
of  1723.  He  then  accepted  a  unani- 
mous invitation  to  become  the  suc- 
cessor of  his  tutor,  Dr.  Jennings, 

in  the  charge  of  a  small  congregation  at  the 

village  of  Kibv^orth. 

In  assuming  this  charge,  he  drew  up  the  fol- 

lov^ing  excellent  rules  respecting  his  ministerial 

duties,  which  he  was  very  careful  to  observe  : 

1.  I  will  spend  some  extraordinary  time  in 
private  devotion  every  Lord's  day,  morning  or 
evening,  as  opportunity  may  offer,  and  will  then^ 
endeavor  to  'preach  over  to  my  own  soul  that  doc- 
trine which  I  preach  to  others. 

2.  I  will  take  every  second  evening  in  the 
week,  in  which  I  will  spend  half  an  hour  in  de- 
votional exercises,  on  such  subjects  relative  to 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  KIBWORTH.  53 

the  congregation  as  I  think  most  suitable  to  that 
occasion. 

3.  At  the  close  of  every  week  and  month,  I 
will  spend  some  time  in  its  review,  that  I  may- 
see  how  time  has  been  improved,  innocence  se- 
cured, duties  discharged,  and  whether  I  advance 
or  lose  ground  in  religion. 

4.  When  I  have  an  affair  of  more  than  ordi- 
nary importance  before  me,  or  meet  with  any 
remarkable  occurrence,  either  merciful  or  afflict- 
ive, I  will  set  apart  some  time  for  contemplation 
and  to  seek  God  upon  it. 

5.  I  will  more  particularly  devote  some  time 
every  Friday  to  seek  Grod,  on  account  of  those 
who  recommend  themselves  to  my  prayers,  and 
to  pray  for  the  public  welfare;  a  subject  which  I 
will  never  totally  exclude. 

6.  In  all  the  duties  of  the  oratory,  I  will  en- 
deavor to  maintain  a  serious  and  affectionate 
temper. 

I  am  sensible  that  I  have  a  heart  which  will 
incline  me  to  depart  froni  God.  May  His  Spirit 
strengthen  and  sanctify  it,  so  thtit  I  may  find 
Him  in  such  seasons  of  retirement,  and  that  my 
Heavenly  Father  may  behold  me  here  with 
pleasure,  and  at  length  openly  reward  me, 
through  Jesus  Christ.     Amen. 

Doddridge  found  his  settlement  at  Kibworth 


54  LIFE  OF  DR.    DODDRIDGE. 

extremely  agreeable,  and  met  with  ^  a  great 
deal  of  comfort  and  encouragement '  among  his 
friends  there.  To  one  he  writes  at  this  period  : 
'I  reside  in  a  very  agreeable  family,  where  I 
have  very  comfortable  accommodations  about 
me,  and  have  almost  as  much  time  for  study  as 
I  had  when  I  was  at  the  academy.  The  congre- 
gation consists  of  about  two  hundred  and  fifty 
people.' 

Here  he  devoted  himself  with  untiring  pa- 
tience and  diligence  to  sacred  and  profane  litera- 
ture, and  to  the  discharge  of  his  professional 
duties. 

From  the  following  passage  in  one  of  his 
letters  to  a  female  correspondent,  who  had 
*  condoled  with  him  on  being  buried  alive,* 
it  appears  that  he  passed  those  days  both  plea- 
santly and  profitably,  while  engaged  in  his 
favorite  employments,  amidst  the  quiet  scenes 
of  a  rural  town.  Speaking  of  his  resolution  to 
stick  pretty  close  to  those  delightful  studies, 
which  a  favorable  Providence  has  made  the 
business  of  his  life,  he  says :  '  One  day  passes 
away  after  another,  and  I  only  know  that  it 
passes  pleasantly  with  me  ;  but,  as  for  the  world 
about  me,  I  have  very  little  concern  with  it.  I 
live  like  a  tortoise,  shut  up  in  its  shell,  almost 
always  in  the  same  town,  in  the  same  house  and 


HIS  PA STORA TE  AT  KIB  WOR TH.  55 

in  tlie  same  chamber;  and  yet  I  live  like  a  prince 
— not  indeed  in  the  pomp  of  greatness,  but  in  tlie 
pride  of  liberty ;  master  of  my  books,  master  of 
my  time,  and,  I  hope  I  may  add,  master  of  my- 
self too. 

'  I  can  willingly  give  up  the  charms  of  your 
ensnaring  town  (Lon^Jon),  its  popularity,  com- 
pany and  luxury,  for  the  secret  pleasures  of  ra- 
tional employment  and  self-approbation  ;  for  a 
silent  retreat  from  applause  or  reproach,  from 
envy  or  contempt,  and  the  destructive  baits  of 
avarice  and  ambition.  So  that,  upon  the  whole, 
madam,  I  would  not  have  you  lament  it  as  my 
misfortune,  but  rather  congratulate  me  upon  it 
as  my  happiness,  that  I  am  thus  confined  to  an 
obscure  village,  seeing  it  gives  me  so  many 
favorable  advantages  for  the  most  serious  and 
important  purposes  of  devotion  and  philosophy, 
and,  I  hope  I  may  add,  of  usefulness  too.' 

During  his  settlement  at  Kibworth,  we  have 
another  exquisite  picture  of  country  life  and 
rural  scenes,  drawn  by  his  own  hand.  Writing 
to  one  in  the  bright  season  of  summer,  he  says : 
'  You  know  I  love  a  country  life,  and  here  we 
have  it  in  perfection.  I  am  roused  in  the  morn- 
ing with  the  chirping  of  sparrows,  the  cooing  of 
pigeons,  the  lowing  of  kine,  the  bleating  of 
sheep,  and,  to  complete  the  concert,  the  grunt- 


56  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

ing  of  swine  and  neigMng  of  horses.  We  have 
a  mighty  pleasant  garden  and  orchard,  and  a 
fine  arbor  under  some  tall,  shady  limes,  that 
form  a  kind  of  lofty  dome,  of  which,  as  a  native 
of  the  great  city,  you  may,  perhaps,  catch  a 
glimmering  idea,  if  I  name  the  cupola  of  St. 
Paul's.  And  then,  on  the  other  side  of  the 
house,  there  is  a  large  space  which  we  call  a 
wilderness,  and  which,  I  fancy,  would  please 
you  extremely.  The  ground  is  dainty  green- 
sward ;  a  brook  runs  sparkling  through  the 
middle,  and  there  are  two  large  fish-ponds  at 
one  end  ;  both  the  ponds  and  the  brook  are 
surrounded  with  willows,  and  there  are  several 
shady  walks  under  the  trees,  besides  little  knots 
of  young  willows  interspersed  at  convenient  dis- 
tances. This  is  the  nursery  of  our  lambs  and 
calves,  with  whom  I  have  the  honor  to  be  inti- 
mately acquainted.  Here  I  generally  spend  the 
evening,  and  pay  my  respects  to  the  setting  sun, 
when  the  variety  and  the  beauty  of  the  pros- 
pect inspire  a  pleasure  that  I  know  not  how  to 
express.*  I  am  sometimes  so  transported  with 
these  inanimate  beauties,  that  I  fancy  I  am  like 
Adam  in  Paradise ;  and  it  is  my  only  misfortune 

*  'And  this  our  life,  exempt  from  public  haunt, 
Finds  tongues  in  trees,  books  in  the  running  brooks, 
Sermons  in  stones,  and  good  in  every  thing.' — Shakespeaeb. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  KIBWORTH.  57 

that  I  want  an  Eve,  and  liave  none  but  the  birds 
of  the  air  and  the  beasts  of  the  field  for  my  com- 
panions.' * 

From  this  pleasing  picture,  let  us  turn  to  the 
study  of  Doddridge  at  Kibworth,  and  see  what 
authors  were  engaging  his  attention  in  the  early 
days  of  his  ministry.  On  this  point  he  has  given 
us  abundant  information  in  his  Correspondence. 
He  was  now  employing  a  considerable  portion 
of  his  time  in  studying  the  works  of  Eichard 
Baxter,  of  whose  spirit  he  drank  deeply,  and 
whose  solemn  earnestness  he  '  most  successfully 
imitated.'  A  friend  presented  him,  at  this 
time,  with  a  copy  of  Baxter's  Practical  Works, 
and  in  acknowledging  the  receipt  of  so  valuable 
a  present,  he  writes  to  the  donor :  '  I  shall  be 
heartily  glad  if  ever  it  lies  in  my  power,  by  any 
little  service,  to  express  the  estimation  in  which 
I  hold  your  favor.  At  this  time  I  can  think  of 
no  other  way  of  doing  so  than  to  study  those 
excellent  books  with  all  imaginable  care ;  and 
by  what  I  already  know  of  them,  I  have  abun- 
dant reason  to  conclude  that  I  shall  fully  find 
my  account  in  doing  so. 

'  I  would  hope,  sir,  that  it  will  be  some 
satisfaction  to  you  to  think  that  you  have  not 
only  given  me  many  of  the  most  rational  and 

*  Letter,  dated  July  15,  1723. 


58  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

cliarming  entertainments,  but  that  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God  upon  my  future  ministry,  some  sin- 
ners may,  perhaps,  owe  their  conversion ;  some 
honest  Christians  their  comfort  and  edification, 
to  my  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Baxter's  incom- 
parable writings,  for  which  I  am  thus  obliged  to 
your  generosity.'  *  A  few  weeks  after  receiving 
this  copy  of  Baxter's  works,  he  writes  to  his 
generous  friend  and  patron,  the  E,ev.  Dr.  Clarke : 
'  I  have  lately  received  Mr.  Baxter's  works, 
which  I  am  now  reading  with  abundance  of 
pleasure.'  f  And  again,  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year,  he  says,  in  another  letter  to  the  same 
friend :  *At  present  my  thoughts  are  principally 
taken  up  with  divinity  and  the  study  of  the 
Scriptures.  I  am  going  on  with  Mr.  Baxter's 
works,  which  I  can  not  sufficiently  admire.  I 
have  been  looking  over  his  Reasons  for  the  Christ- 
ian Religion^  and  I  find  a  great  many  curious  and 

*  Letter,  dated  April  18,  1724, 

Dr.  Chalmers,  who  was  an  admirer  of  Doddridge's  writings, 
seems  to  have  been  struck  with  the  similarity  between  Baxter 
and  Doddridge,  with  respect  to  the  impressiveness  and  solemni- 
ty of  their  language.     In  a  letter  to  his  brother  he  says  : 

'  I  look  upon  Baxter  and  Doddridge  as  two  most  impressive 
writers,  and  from  whom  you  are  most  likely  to  carry  away  the 
impression,  that  a  preparation  for  eternity  should  be  the  main 
business  and  anxiety  of  time.' 

f  Letter  dated  May  5,  1724. 


HIS  PASTOR  A  TE  A  T  KIB  WORTH.  59 

important  thoughts,  which  have  not  occured  to 
me  in  any  of  the  Boylean  Lectures  which  I  have 
seen.'  *  A  still  more  particular  reference  to  the 
estimation  in  which  he  held  the  writings  of  this 
great  Puritan,  is  found  in  one  of  his  letters  to 
liis  brother-in-law,  the  E,ev.  Mr.  E'ettleton. 
'Baxter,'  he  writes,  'is  my  particular  favorite; 
and  it  is  impossible  to  tell  you  how  much  I  am 
charmed  with  the  devotion,  good  sense  and 
pathos  which  are  everywhere  to  be  found  in 
that  writer.  I  can  not  indeed  forbear  looking 
upon  him  as  one  of  the  greatest  orators  that  our 
nation  ever  produced,  both  with  regard  to  co- 
piousness, acuteness  and  energy ;  and  if  he  has 
described  the  temper  of  his  own  heart,  he  ap- 
pears to  have  been  so  far  superior  to  the 
generality  of  those  whom  we  must  charitably 
hope  to  be  good  men,  that  one  would  imagine 
God  raised  him  up  to  disgrace  and  condemn  his 
brethren,  by  showing  what  a  Christian  is,  and 
how  few  in  the  world  deserve  the  character ! 
I  have  lately  been  reading  his  Gildas  Salvianus 
{JReformed  Pasior),^  which  has  cut  me  out  some 

*  Letter,  dated  Oct.  22,  1724. 

•j- '  It  is  one  of  the  best  of  his  invaluable  practical  works. 
In  the  whole  compass  of  divinity,  there  is  scarcely  any  thing 
superior  to  it,  in  close,  pathetic  appeals  to  the  conscience  of 
the  minister  of  Christ,  upon  the  primary  duties  of  his  oflEice.' — 
Bp.  Daniel  Wilson 


60  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

work  among  my  people,  that  will  take  me  off 
from  so  close  an  application  to  my  private  studies 
as  I  could  otherwise  covet;  but  may,  I  hope, 
answer  some  valuable  purposes,  both  with  re- 
gard to  myself  and  others.'  * 

Another  of  his  favorite  authors,  about  this 
period,  was  John  Howe,  whose  seraphic  fervor 
seems  to  have  been  the  means  of  producing  in 
him  a  greater  love  for  things  spiritual  and 
divine. 

Isaac  Barrow  was  also  a  writer  whom  he 
greatly  valued.  Dr.  Kippis  informs  us  that  he 
remembers  to  have  heard  him  speak  of  Barrow 
with  great  energy  of  commendation ;  and  we 
find  that  in  his  Lectures  on  Preaching,  Doddridge 
pronounces  him  the  most  laconic  writer  among 
the  English  divines.  '  ITo thing,'  he  adds,  '  is 
more  elaborate  than  his  discourses,  most  of  them 
having  been  transcribed  three  times  over,  and 
some  of  them  oftener.'  f 

In  his  pleasant  retreat  at  Kibworth,  the  peru- 
sal of  such  authors  afforded  Doddridge  the 
richest  entertainment   and    instruction.      And 

*  Letter,  dated  Dec.  8,  1724. 

•|-  While  a  student  at  the  University  of  Oxford,  Lord  Chatham, 
'  as  a  means  of  acquiring  copiousness  of  diction  and  an  exact 
choice  of  words,'  is  said  to  have  read  and  re-read  the  Sermom 
of  Barrow,  till  he  knew  many  of  them  by  heart 


m^  PASTOR  A  TE  A  T  KIB  WORTH.  61 

there  he  wrote  many  of  his  own  sermons,  and 
labored  on  his  expositions  and  other  works. 

'Books,'  says  Wordsworth,  '  are  a  substantial 
world  ;  '  and  another  writer,  in  speaking  of  a 
library,  calls  it  '  the  monument  of  vanished 
minds.'  *  Doddridge  was  one  of  those  who 
loved  to  move  in  this  '  substantial  world,'  and 
to  study  the  inscriptions  on  this  imperishable 
monument.  He  early  commenced  to  form  a  valu- 
able private  library,  which  continued  through  his 
life  to  be  increased  by  purchases  and  the  gifts 
of  friends.  At  the  time  of  his  death  it  con- 
tained about  three  thousand  volumes.  While 
at  Kibworth,  we  find  him  on  one  occasion  send- 
ing to  London  for  '  Howe,  Bates,  Prideaux,  the 
Spectator,  and  Guardian,  and  a  great  many  other 
good  books.'  The  year  after  his  first  settlement 
he  writes  to  some  of  his  friends  :  '  At  present  I 

*  '  The  past  but  lives  in  words  ;  a  thousand  ages 
Were  blank,  if  books  had  not  evoked  their  ghosts, 
And  kept  the  pale  unbodied  shades  to  warn  us 
From  fleshless  lips.' — E.  L.  Bulwer. 
<  A  good  book  is  the  precious  life-blood  of  a  master-spirit, 
embalmed  and  treasured  up  on  purpose  to  a  life  beyond  life'. — 
Milton. 

'  Blessed  be  the  memory  of  those  who  have  left  their  blood, 
their  spirits,  their  lives  in  these  precious  papers,  and  have 
willingly  wasted  themselves  in  these  enduring  monuments  to 
give  light  to  others.' — Bp.  Hall's  Meditation  on  a  Library. 

6 


62  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

apply  myself  entirely  to  tlie  Bible,  theoretical 
and  practical  divinity,  but  principally  tbe  latter. 
I  have  many  useful  books,  and  a  good  deal  of 
time  to  make  use  of  them.'  *I  am  glad  your 
library  increases,'  writes  his  brother-in-law,  soon 
after  our  author's  removal  to  Northampton  ; 
and  in  his  reflections  on  one  of  his  visits  to 
London,  Doddridge  himself  rejoices  that  he  had 
there  '  met  with  many  kind  friends,  and  with 
some  handsome  presents  to  his  library.'  *  Thus 
it  seems  that  his  taste  for  collecting  valuable 
books,  was  a  source  of  great  pleasure  through 
life. 

In  1725,  Doddridge,  while  continuing  to  preach 
at  Kibworth,  removed  to  Market  Harborough, 
a  place  about  ^yq  miles  distant,  f  His  occa- 
sional discourses  at  Market  Harborough  were 
so  acceptable,  that,  in  1729,  he  was  chosen 
assistant  to  the  Eev.  Mr.  Some,  pastor  of  a 
church  at  that  place ;  '  the  congregation,'  says 
Dr.  Kippis,  '  being  desirous  to  enjoy  his  labors 

*  '  Next  to  acquiring  good  friends,  tlie  best  acquisition  is  that. 

of  good  books.' COLTON. 

f  '  Market  Harborough,  a  market  town  of  England,  16^ 
miles  S.  S.  E.  of  Leicester,  on  the  Welland,  and  on  the 
London  and  York  railway.  Population  in  1851,  2,325.  It 
has  a  fine  Gothic  church,  said  to  have  been  erected  by  John  of 
Gaunt.' — Imperial  Gazetteer. 


HIS  PASTOR  A  TH  AT  KIB  WOR  TH.  63 

more  frequently  than  before ;  tlie  result  of  which 
choice  was,  that  he  preached  there  and  at  Kib- 
worth  alternately.' 

Here  he  still  continued  with  undiminished 
ardor  his  studies  in  ecclesiastical  history,  the- 
ology, classical  and  English  literature.  In  his 
Correspondence  we  have  some  delightful  views 
of  his  every  day  life  as  a  scholar  at  this  period. 

The  following  extracts  may  be  presented  as  the 
gems  of  his  epistolary  correspondence  respecting 
the  studies  in  which  he  was  now  engaged :  '  I 
have  now  before  me  Gerard  Brandt's  History  of 
the  Beformation  in  the  Low  Countries,  in  four 
volumes.  * 

'  I  shortly  intend  to  enter  upon  Burnet's  His- 
tory  of  the  Beformation  in  England,  in  three  folios, 
and  to  read  Dr.  CoUett's  Life,  as  a  suitable  pre- 
paration to  it.  I  continue  to  spend  an  hour  a 
day  on  Baxter,  whom  I  admire  more  and  more. 
And  I  spend  another  on  Homer,  which  I  read 
in  the  original,  with  Pope's  translation  and  notes. 

*  History  of  the  Reformation,  and  other  Ecclesiastical  Transac- 
tions in  and  about  the  Low  Countries,  from  the  beginning  of  the 
eighth  Century,  down  to  the  famous  Synod  of  Dort,  inclusive. 
Translated  from  the  Low  Dutch.  (By  Chamberlayne.)  4  vols., 
folio  ;  with  portraits.  London,  1720-3.  This  great  work  is  *  a 
faithful,  accurate  and  well  written  book.'  Lord  Hardwicke 
said  that  the  Dutch  language  was  worth  acquiring,  if  it  were 
only  to  enjoy  the  pleasure  of  reading  this  history. 


64  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

I  have  as  yet  read  only  to  the  end  of  the  eighth 
Iliad ;  hut,  as  far  as  I  can  judge,  this  is  one  of 
the  finest  translations  in  the  English  language ; 
and,  what  is  very  extraordinary,  it  appears  to  the 
best  advantage  when  compared  with  the  ori- 
ginal. I  have  read  both  carefully  so  far,  and 
written  remarks  as  I  went  along ;  and  I  think  I 
can  prove,  that  where  Pope  has  omitted  one 
beauty,  he  has  added  or  improved  four.'  * 

'  My  retirement  here  is,  as  you  will  easily  im- 
agine, very  delightful  to  me.     I  have  a  great 

*  Letter  to  his  brother-in-law,  the  Rev.  Mr.  Nettleton,  dated 
Burton,  Aug.  5,  1725. 

Pope's  translation  of  Homer  was,  on  its  publication,  received 
with  excessive  admiration  by  the  lovers  of  classical  literature. 
Later  critics,  however,  do  not  coincide  in  the  opinion  of 
Doddridge  and  other  writers  of  his  time,  with  regard  to  the 
excellence  of  this  translation. 

*  Elegant,  pointed  and  musical ;  unfaithful  to  many  of  the 
most  poetical  passages  of  the  original,  and  misrepresenting  still 
more  the  natural  and  simple  majesty  of  manner  which  the 
ancient  poet  never  lost ;  the  Iliad  of  Pope  assuredly  did  not 
merit  the  extravagant  admiration  which  it  generally  received 
in  his  own  day.  Yet,  if  we  could  forget  Homer,  we  might  not 
unreasonably  be  proud  of  it.  It  is  an  excellent  poem  ;  one  of 
the  best  in  the  English  language.' — Prop.  Spaldinq. 

William  Ihne,  Ph.  D.,  of  the  University  of  Bonn,  in  his 
article  on  Homer,  in  Dr.  Smith's  Dictionary  of  Greek  and 
Roman  Biography  and  Mythology,  says  :  '  The  English  transla- 
tions, by  Chapman,  Pope  and  Cowper,  must  be  regarded  as 
failures.' 


HIS  PASTOR  A  TE  AT  KIB  WORTH.  Q^ 

deal  of  time  for  study,  and  have  daily  opportu- 
nities of  conversing  with  persons  of  good  sense, 
politeness  and  unaffected  piety,  both  at  home  and 
abroad.  You  inquire  into  my  present  course  of 
study.  I  have  not  time  to  give  you  a  full  ac- 
count of  it.  Most  of  my  time  is  taken  up  with 
the  Scriptures,  and  in  reading,  composing  and 
transcribing  sermons.  I  spend  some  time  every 
day  in  the  classics,  which  I  read  with  inexpres- 
sible pleasure.  I  am  just  on  the  point  of  finish- 
ing Homer's  Iliad^  with  Pope's  translation ;  which 
I  am  sure  I  need  not  recommend  to  you.* 

'  I  was  up  at  ^YQ  o'clock  this  morning,  and  I 
have  been  all  this  while  studying  the  connection 
of  a  short  section  in  the  Romans,  and  writing 
letters.  IS'ay,  at  this  very  moment,  Demosthe- 
nes is  waiting  to  entertain  me  with  one  of  his 
Philippics,  and  Yirgil  is  bringing  back  ^neas 
to  his  camp,  where  I  have  long  been  waiting  in 
pain  for  his  absence.  Dr.  Tillotson  has  also 
prepared  an  admirable  sermon,  which  he  will 
quickly  deliver  in  my  chamber,  with  his  usual 
grace  and  sweetness.  And  then  Grerard  Brandt 
will  go  on  with  his  history  of  the  persecution  of 
the  remonstrants,  after  their  condemnation  at 
the  Synod  of  Dort.     In  the  afternoon,  I  expect 

*  Letter  to  Mr.  Hughes,  dated  Harborough,  Jan.  27,  1726. 


QQ  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

to  hear  from  Pliny,  who  generally  favors  me 
with  two  or  three  epistles  in  a  day. 

*  Dr.  Potter  is  instructing  me  in  Grecian  anti- 
quities ;  but  I  fear  I  shall  hardly  have  time  to 
speak  with  him  to-day.  However,  I  will,  if 
possible,  attend  upon  my  tutor,  Cradock,*  in  the 
evening,  who  is  lecturing  on  the  Epistles  with 
great  accuracy  and  solidity  ;  besides  this,  I  have 
a  little  kind  of  a  sermon  to  preach  in  the  family, 
according  to  my  daily  custom,  and  then  four 
letters  to  transcribe  into  short-hand,  f 

*I  generally  spend  two  hours  a  day  in  the 
classics,  one  in  Greek  and  the  other  in  Latin. 
I  have  lately  been  reading  some  of  the  orations 
of  Demosthenes,  which  gave  me  very  agreeable 
entertainment.  Virgil's  JEneid  charms  me 
more  than  it  ever  did  before.  I  am  wonder- 
fully taken  with    the    ease   and    elegance    of 

■^It  was,  perhaps,  by  the  perusal  of  Cradock's  Harmony  of 
the  Four  Evangelists,  and  his  Apostolical  History,  that  the  idea 
of  planning  The  Family  Expositor  was  suggested  to  Doddridge ; 
at  least,  these  works  afforded  him  no  little  help  in  writing  his 
noble  exposition  ;  for,  he  says  :  '  I  think,  on  the  whole,  I  never 
read  any  one  author  that  assisted  me  more  in  what  relates  to 
the  New  Testament.' 

The  volumes  of  Cradock  on  the  New  Testament  are  now 
superseded  by  'later  and  more  critical  works.' 

f  Letter  to  his  brother-in-law,  dated  Harborough,  June  9, 
1726. 


^/;S^  PAST  OR  A  TE  AT  KIB  WOR  TH.  67 

Pliny's  Epistles^  and  with  the  description  he 
gives  of  his  own  temper  and  behavior,  which 
seems  to  me  very  amiable  and  instructive.'  * 

'  You  recommended  Pliny  to  my  perusal.  I  im- 
mediately procured  him,  and  there  is  seldom  a 
day  in  which  I  do  not  read  two  or  three  of  his 
epistles.  I  have  before  heard  several  very  high 
encomiums  upon  him,  but  nothing  gave  me  so 
lively  an  idea  of  his  excellence,  as  to  observe 
the  perfection  to  which  you  have  arrived  by 
studying  him ;  for  every  letter  of  your's  is  a 
panegyric  upon  Pliny,  though  you  do  not  men- 
tion his  name.'  f 

'  I  have  been  reading  Hall's  Contemplations  on 
the  Historical  Parts  of  Scripture,  and  find  not  only 
that  they  are  of  great  use  to  form  one  to  a 
practical  way  of  improving  what  one  reads,  but 
that  many  circumstances  of  the  history  are  illus- 

*  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clarke,  dated  Harborough,  June 
11,  1726. 

f  Letter  to  Mr.  Hughes,  dated  June  28,  1726,  midnight. 

Doddridge's  own  epistolary  style  was,  we  think,  greatly 
improved  by  his  careful  study  of  the  Letters  of  Pliny,  the 
younger. 

The  best  English  translation  of  Pliny's  Letters,  is  that  by 
Wm.  Melmoth  —  *  a  translation  said  to  equal  the  original,  both 
in  beauty  and  force.' — Lowndes. 


68  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

trated  by  judicious  observations,  wbicb  I  bave 
not  before  met  witb.'  * 

^  I  bave  lately  been  reading  tbe  tbree  folios 
of  Burnet's  History  of  the  Reformation  in  England^ 
witb  more  pleasure  tban  I  can  express.  He  ap- 
pears to  be  one  of  tbe  most  masterly  writers,  and 
always  retains  a  sense  of  tbe  dignity  of  bis  sub- 
ject, and  writes  witb  a  majesty  wortby  of  it.  He 
does  not  study  tbe  ornaments  of  style,  but 
expresses  bimself  witb  plainness  and  propriety, 
and  always  appears  to  bave  a  most  sincere  re- 
gard to  trutb,  even  wben  it  is  least  bonorable  to 
tbe  cbaracter  of  tbe  brigbt  bero  of  bis  bistory. 

'  I  bave  been  reading  Lucretius  witb  mucb 
care  ;  be  is  indeed,  as  be  is  commonly  esteemed, 
a  most  cbarming  poet,  but  a  most  contemptible 
pbilosopber ;  nor  bave  I  ever  yet  met  witb  a 
writer  wbose  descriptions  are  finer,  and  wbose 
arguments  were  meaner.  I  tbink  be  was  no 
fitter  to  write  De  rerum  Natures,  tban  a  fine  land- 
scape painter  would  be  to  compose  a  treatise  on 
anatomy.'  f 

*  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clarke,  dated  Harborough,  June 
30,  1726. 

f  *  But  few  have  ventured  to  send  into  the  world  essentially 
meditative  poems,  which  none  but  the  thoughtful  can  truly 
enjoy.     Lucretius  is  the  only  writer  of  antiquity  who  has  left 


HIS  PASTOR  A  TE  AT  KIB  WOR  TH.  69 

*  I  have  lately  read  Howe  on  the  Sjpirit.  Tliere 
are  many  very  useful  observations  in  it.  He 
every  where  breathes  a  most  excellent  temper ; 
and  I  think  one  may  see  more  of  the  man,  and 
of  his  way  of  preaching  by  this,  than  by  any 
other  of  his  works  which  I  have  yet  perused.'  * 

In  the  summer  of  1729,  Doddridge  opened  an 
academy  at  Market  Harborough,  for  the  educa- 
tion of  young  men  designed  for  the  ministry. 
He  undertook  this  arduous  post  at  the  solicita- 
tion of  the  Eev.  Mr.  Some,  Dr.  "Watts,  and  other 
leading  ministers  among  the  non-conformists, 
who  looked  upon  him  as  a  suitable  successor  to 
the  Rev.  John  Jennings. 

Doddridge  entered  on  the  work  of  a  theologi- 
cal tutor,  with  a  view  of  advancing  the  cause  of 
education  and  of  true  religion,  and  with  an 
earnest  dependence  on  God  for  assistance  and 

a  great  work  of  this  description ;  and  he  has  unhappily  lavished 
the  boundless  riches  of  genius  on  doctrines  which  are  in  direct 
opposition  to  the  spirit  of  poetry.' — T.  N.  Talfourd. 

*  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clarke,  dated  Nov.  30, 1726. 

The  following  are  the  titles  of  Howe's  works  on  the  Spirit : 
The  Office  and  Work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  in  every  Age,  with  refer- 
ence to  Particular  Persons  ;  considered  in  several  sermons,  on 
John,  iii,  6,  and  Galatians,  v,  25.  The  Prosperous  State  of  the 
Christian  Interest  before  the  End  of  Time,  by  a  Plentiful  Effusion 
of  the  Holy  Spirit ;  considered  in  fifteen  sermons,  on  Ezekiel, 
xxxix,  29. 


70  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

success.  *  Providence,'  lie  says,  4s  opening  a 
prospect  of  much  greater  usefulness  tlian  before, 
though,  attended  with  vast  labor  and  difficulty. 
In  divine  strength  I  go  forth  to  the  work,  and 
resolve  upon  the  most  careful  and  vigorous  dis- 
charge of  all  the  duties  incumbent  on  me,  to 
labor  for  the  instruction  and  watch  for  the  souls 
of  my  pupils.  I  intend  to  have  some  discourse 
with  them  on  the  Lord's  day  evenings,  on  sub- 
jects of  inward  religion.  I  will  endeavor  to 
give  a  serious  turn  to  our  conversation  at  other 
times,  and  always  bear  them  on  my  heart  before 
God  with  great  tenderness  and  affection.  I  will 
labor  to  keep  such  an  inspection  over  them,  as 
may  be  necessary  to  discover  their  capacities, 
tempers*  and  failings,  that  I  may  behave  in  a 
suitable  manner  to  them.  In  all,  I  will  main- 
tain an  humble  dependence  on  divine  influences, 
to  lead  me  in  the  path  of  duty  and  prudence, 
and  enable  me  to  behave  in  a  way  answerable  to 
the  character  in  which  I  appear,  and  those  agree- 
able expectations  which  many  of  my  friends  have 
entertained  of  me. 

'  Considering  the  work  before  me,  I  would  set 
myself  with  peculiar  diligence  to  maintain  and 
increase  the  life  of  religion  in  my  own  soul,  and 
a  constant  sense  of  the  divine  presence  and 
love ;    for    I  find,    when   this    is    maintained, 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  KIBWORTH.  71 

nothing  gives  me  any  considerable  disquiet,  and 
I  have  vigor  and  resolution  of  spirit  to  carry  me 
through  my  labors.  When  I  am  conscious  of 
the  want  of  this,  and  any  inconsistency  of  beha- 
vior towards  the  Divine  Being,  it  throws  a  damp 
on  my  vigor  and  resolution ;  yea,  on  all  the 
other  pleasures  of  life.  In  order  to  maintain  this 
habitual,  delightful  sense  of  God,  I  would  fre- 
quently renew  my  dedication  to  Him,  in  that 
covenant  on  which  all  my  hopes  depend,  and 
my  resolutions  for  universal,  zealous  obedience. 
I  will  study  redeeming  love  more,  and  habitually 
resign  myself  and  all  my  concerns  to  the  divine 
disposal.  I  am  going  to  express  and  seal  these 
resolutions  at  the  Lord's  table  ;  and  may  this  be 
the  happy  period  from  which  shall  commence 
better  days  of  religion  and  usefulness  than  I 
have  ever  yet  known.' 

A  few  months  after  Doddridge  had  com- 
menced his  new  labors  as  a  tutor,  he  received 
a  pressing  invitation  to  assume  the  pastoral 
charge  of  a  congregation  at  ^Northampton. 
After  long  and  serious  deliberation  he  accepted 
the  call.  We  must  now  take  our  leave  of  Xib- 
worth  and  Market  Harborough,  and  follow  him 
to  the  more  populous  town  of  ^Northampton,* 

*  *  Northampton,  a  parliamentary  and  municipal  borough  and 
town  of  England,  on  a  slope,  rising  from  the  left  bank  of  the 


72  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

SO  long  the  scene  of  his  useful  labors,  and  the 
place  where  his  light,  as  a  Christian  minister, 
shone  forth  in  its  mildest,  purest  and  greatest 
lustre. 

navigable  Nene,  here  crossed  by  two  stone  bridges,  on  a  branch 
canal,  connecting  the  Nene  with  the  Grand  Junction  canal,  and 
on  the  Peterborough  branch  of  the  London  and  North  West- 
ern railway,  60  miles  N.  W.  of  London.  It  is  built  of  a  reddish 
stone,  obtained  in  the  vicinity,  and  has  four  principal  streets, 
meeting  in  a  large  open  market-place,  one  of  the  finest  in  Eng- 
land. 

'Among  the  dissenting  chapels,  that  of  the  Independents  on 
Castle  Hill  deserves  notice,  as  having  been,  for  20  years,  the 
scene  of  the  labors  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Doddridge,  who  also 
presided  over  a  theological  academy  in  the  town.  Population 
in  1851,  26,667.*-— /mpenaZ  Gazetteer. 


MMi»»«i«««B»»wrTnrw^ 


CHAPTER    lY. 

HIS  PASTORATE  AT   NORTHAMPTON  —  LABORS  AS 
TUTOR   AND   AUTHOR. 

I^  the  winter  of  1729,  Doddridge  re- 
moved to  I*Tortliampton,  and  took  charge 
of  the  '  large  and  flourishing  congrega- 
tion '  assembling  in  the  church  on  Castle- 
hill.  Early  in  the  following  year  he  began 
housekeeping,  and  '  took  possession '  he  says, 
'  of  that  chamber  in  which  I  hope  to  spend  most 
of  the  remaining  studious  hours  of  my  life.'  On 
the  19th  of  March,  1730,  after  partially  recover- 
ing from  a  dangerous  illness,  he  was  ordained 
at  I:»[orthampton.  Of  this  solemn  occasion,  he 
has  given  us  the  following  interesting  record : 

'  The  afilicting  hand  of  God  upon  me  hindered 
me  from  making  that  preparation  for  the  sol- 
emnities of  this  day,  which  I  could  otherwise 
have  desired.  However,  I  hope  it  hath  long 
been  my  sincere  desire  to  dedicate  myself  to 
Him  in  the  work  of  the  ministry ;  and  that  the 


74  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

views  with  whicli  I  determined  to  undertake  tlie 
office,  and  which  I  this  day  solemnly  professed, 
have  long  since  been  seriously  impressed  upon 
my  heart. 

'  The  work  of  the  day  was  fulfilled  in  a  very 
honorable  and  agreeable  manner.  Mr.  Good- 
rich, of  Oundle,  commenced  the  service  by 
prayer  and  reading  the  Scriptures.  Mr.  Daw- 
son, of  Hinckley,  continued  those  exercises ;  and 
then  Mr.  Watson,  of  Leicester,  preached  a  suit- 
able sermon  from  1  Tim.,  iii,  1 :  ''  This  is  a  true 
saying.  If  a  man  desire  the  office  of  a  bishop,  he 
desireth  a  good  work."  After  the  sermon,  Mr. 
ITorris,  of  Welford,  read  the  call  of  the  church, 
of  which  I  declared  my  acceptance.  He  then 
received  my  confession  of  faith  and  ordination 
vows,  and  proceeded  to  set  me  apart  by  prayer. 
Mr.  Clarke,  of  St.  Albans,  gave  the  charge  to 
me,  and  Mr.  Saunders,  of  Kettering,  the  exhorta- 
tion to  the  people.  Then  Mr.  Mattock,  of  Da- 
ventry,  concluded  the  solemnity  with  prayer. 

'  I  have  a  cheerful  hope  that  the  God,  to  whom 
I  have  this  day  devoted  my  services  with  more 
solemnity  than  ever,  will  graciously  accept  them, 
either  in  this  world  or  in  a  better ;  and  I  am  not 
solicitous  where,  or  how.  If  I  know  anything 
of  my  heart,  I  trust  I  may  adopt  the  words  of 
the  apostle,  that  it  is  "  my  earnest  expectation 


EIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  75 

and  my  hope,  that  in  nothing  I  shall  be  ashamed, 
but  that  Christ  shall  be  magnified  in  my  body, 
whether  it  be  by  life  or  by  death  ;"  that  "to  me 
to  live  is  Christ,"  and  to  die  would  be  an  unspeak- 
able gain. 

'  May  this  day  never  be  forgotten  by  me,  nor 
the  dear  people  committed  to  my  charge,  whom 
I  would  humbly  recommend  to  the  care  of  the 
great  Shepherd.' 

Doddridge's  pastoral  relation  to  this  non- con- 
formist church  at  !N^orthampton,  thus  solemnly 
formed,  continued  till  the  time  of  his  death  —  a 
period  of  nearly  twenty-two  years.  He  was  very 
faithful  and  diligent  in  the  discharge  of  his  pas- 
toral duties ;  in  preaching  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus ;  in  cathechetical  instruction,  especially 
among  the  young,  for  whose  spiritual  well-being 
he  ever  had  the  tenderest  regard ;  in  establish- 
ing and  conducting  social  prayer  meetings  ;  in 
exhorting  heads  of  families  to  regard  religion 
as  the  grand  business  of  life ;  and  in  visiting  and 
instructing  the  poor  of  his  congregation.  And 
while  thus  watching  for  the  souls  of  men  '  as 
they  that  must  give  account,'  his  ministry  at 
Il^orthampton  was  crowned  with  great  success 
by  the  chief  Shepherd. 

His  reflections  on  his  first  sacrament  day  at 
Northampton  (April  12,  1730),  are  very  impres- 


76  LIFE  OF  DR.    DODDRIDGE. 

sive,  showing  what  a  deep  sense  he  had  of  his 
own  unworthiness ;  and  how,  reposing  on  the 
infinite  merits  of  Christ,  he  sought  to  attain  to 
a  greater  eminence  in  that  holiness  which  is  the 
heauty  and  perfection  of  the  Christian  charac- 
ter :  '  Grace  that  abounds  to  the  chief  of  sinners, 
and  freely  flowing  from  the  bleeding  heart  of  a 
Redeemer,  will,  I  hope,  be  my  refuge.  At  His 
feet  would  I  lay  myself.  On  His  merit  and 
righteousness  would  I  repose  my  hope.  To  Him 
would  I  devote  my  life,  and  refer  the  continu- 
ance of  it,  and  the  disposal  of  all  my  concerns.' 

At  the  beginning  of  the  summer  of  1730, 
while  deploring  the  unhappy  frame  of  his  mind, 
at  that  time,  respecting  spiritual  things,  he 
breathes  the  prayer :  '  Lord  I  am  weary  of  such 
a  frame.  O  that  my  heart  were  enlarged !  O 
that  it  were  melted  under  a  sense  of  sin !  O 
that  it  were  drawn  out  in  desires  after  Thee  !' 

His  beautiful  reflections  on  his  sixth  sacra- 
ment (Sept.  6,  1730),  clearly  show  that  he  was 
earnestly  desirous  to  live  more  habitually  the 
life  of  faith,  and  that  he  was  beginning  to  expe- 
rience more  of  the  sweetness  of  communion  with 
God.  How  fervent  is  his  language  on  this  occa- 
sion :  '  0  blessed  Spirit !  graciously  descend  on 
my  polluted  heart.  Strike  the  flint,  0  thou  al- 
mighty arm  of  the  Lord,   that  the  waters  may 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON,  77 

flow  forth.  I  come  to  humble  myself  before 
God ;  I  come  to  renew  my  resolutions  against 
sin ;  I  come  to  refer  my  concerns  to  Him ;  I 
come  to  seal  my  engagements  to  be  the  Lord's, 
and  to  prosecute  with  greater  vigor  the  duties 
of  a  pastor,  a  tutor,  a  student,  and  a  friend. 
Lord,  do  Thou  instruct  me  in  them.  Lord,  do 
Thou  animate  me  to  them.  0,  Thou  searcher 
of  hearts,  I  appeal  to  Thee.  Have  I  a  wish  so 
predominant  in  my  soul  as  this,  that  I  may  be 
Thy  faithful  servant  ?  Would  I  not  ten  thou- 
sand times  rather  be  free  from  the  corruptions 
of  my  own  heart,  than  from  all  the  calamities  of 
this  mortal  life  ?  Would  I  not  rather  live  in  the 
warmest  exercise  of  holy  love,  in  the  most  vig- 
orous prosecution  of  Thy  service,  than  live  in  a 
round  of  sensual  indulgences,  or  in  the  pursuit 
of  the  most  curious,  speculative  amusements, 
though  I  were  sure  that  I  should  be  ever  so  suc- 
cessful in  them  now,  and  be  brought  to  no  reckon- 
ing for  them  at  last  ?  My  God !  when  Thou 
renewest  the  least  taste  of  Thy  love ;  when  I  find, 
though  but  for  a  few,  hasty,  interrupted  mo- 
ments, the  pleasure  of  conversing  with  Thee,  I 
say,  it  is  good  for  me  to  be  here.  Here,  0  Lord, 
would  I  pitch  my  tabernacle,  and  rather  dwell 
in  the  meanest  cottage  with  Thee,  than  in  the 
most  stately  palace  without  Thee.     May  I  not 


78  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

hope  there  is  room,  and  that  Thou  hast  not  yet 
forsaken  me  ?  Oh,  retwn  to  me  in  love  ;  visit 
me  this  day  at  Thine  house,  and  at  Thy  table, 
and  for  Thy  namesake  continue  to  lead  me  and 
to  guide  me.  Rescue  me  when  I  am  beginning 
to  wander;  awaken  me  when  I  slumber; 
strengthen  me  when  I  faint ;  and  let  not  all  my 
prayers,  my  sermons,  my  private  exhortations, 
my  secret  and  public  transactions  with  Thee, 
issue  at  last  in  my  aggravated  ruin.  Let  me,  if 
it  be  Thy  will,  be  separated  from  all  that  is 
dearest  to  me  here ;  but  0  my  dear,  my  com- 
passionate and  forgiving  Father,  let  me  never, 
never  be  separated  from  Thee.' 

In  the  first  year  of  his  pastorate  at  ItTorthamp- 
ton,  Doddridge,  with  a  view  chiefly  of  obtaining 
some  relaxation  of  study,  during  a  vacation  in 
his  academy,  made  a  summer  excursion  into 
Worcestershire.  Here,  at  the  house  of  Mrs. 
Owen,  the  widow  of  the  celebrated  divine,  he 
became  acquainted  with  Miss  Mercy  Maris,  a 
niece  of  Mrs.  Owen's  son-in-law.  On  his  return 
to  Northampton,  he  wrote  to  Mrs.  Owen,  re- 
questing permission  to  address  *  the  agreeable 
lady,'  whose  charms  had  so  speedily  delighted 
and  attracted  a  susceptible  heart ;  and  after  ob- 
taining the  consent  of  her  friends,  he  forthwith 
commenced  a  correspondence.     His   letters  to 


^/;S'  PASTOR  A  TE  A  T  NORTHAMPTON,  79 

Miss  Maris,  as  miglit  be  supposed  in  one  wlio 
possessed  a  temperament  of  unusual  ardor, 
abound  witb  the  warmest  sentiments.  He 
writes  with  extreme  pleasure  of  her  having  '  a 
pretty  face,  a  fine  form,  and  an  elegant  air ; ' 
of  her  serene  temper  and  bright  eyes ;  her  in- 
telligence, wisdom,  generosity  and  goodness. 
Just  after  a  communion  season  (Eoy.  1,  1730), 
he  writes  to  her  in  a  more  serious  strain  than 
usual:  'I  am  but  just  now  risen  from  the  table 
of  the  Lord,  and  I  am  sitting  down  to  write  to 
you.  !N^or  does  my  conscience  accuse  me  for 
such  a  transition.  It  would  rather  reproach  me 
if  I  had  fixed  my  affections  upon  a  lady  with 
whom  I  could  not  correspond  in  a  strain  agreea- 
bly to  the  solemnity  of  such  an  hour. 

'  I  have  been  remembering  a  dying  Redeemer, 
and  I  have  there  been  remembering  you,  who,  I 
can  txuly  say,  holds  the  next  place  in  my  heart. 
May  it  ever  be  only  the  next ! 

'  I  have  been  renewing  the  dedication  of  my- 
self to  God  ;  and  have  been  referring  all  the  fu- 
ture events  of  my  life  to  His  care,  and  most  par- 
ticularly and  expressly  that  dear  concern  with 
you,  which  is  so  highly  important,  and  lies  so 
near  my  heart.  I  persuade  myself  I  am  more 
likely  to  succeed  by  humbly  submitting  it  to  the 
all-wise  and  all-gracious  disposal  of  our  Hea- 


80  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

venly  Father ;  and  I  rejoice  to  think,  that  as  you 
will  make  mj  own  house  and  table  more  de- 
lightful to  me,  so  you  will  add  a  new  pleasure  to 
the  house  and  table  of  my  God.  "While  I  am 
thus  near  Him,  it  rejoices  my  soul  to  think  that 
He  is  giving  me  a  companion  in  life,  who,  in- 
stead of  separating  me  from  Him,  will  lead  me 
nearer  to  Him.' 

On  the  22d  of  December,  1730,  a  day  which 
he  ever  considered  as  the  happiest  of  his  life,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Maris.  The  companionship 
of  this  lady  made  his  home  a  truly  bright  one ; 
and  he  regarded  her  through  life  as  the  best  of  his 
earthly  blessings.  Mrs.  Doddridge  was  equally 
happy  in  her  husband.  '  It  is  pleasant,'  says  Dr. 
Hamilton,  'to  read  the  correspondence  which 
subsequently  passed  between  them,  showing 
them  youthful  lovers  to  the  last.' 

On  one  occasion  Doddridge  thus  writes  to  his 
amiable  companion :  '  'Eo  place  is  more  like  a 
wilderness  to  me  than  my  own  house,  when  you 
are  absent.'*  More  than  twelve  years  after  his 
marriage,  while  engaged  in  the  composition  of 
The  Bise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul,  he 
writes  to  Mrs.  Doddridge,  who  was  on  a  visit 
from  home,  in  the  same  strain  of  conjugal  affec- 
tion :  '  I  cannot  thank  you  as  I  would  for  your 

*  Letter  dated  London,  July  23,  1735. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  81 

charming  letter,  but  as  soon  as  I  read  it  I  re- 
turned my  affectionate  thanks  to  God  for  it,  as 
a  blessing  of  great  importance  to  the  happiness 
of  my  life.  So  good  a  head,  and  so  good  a  heart, 
are  seldom  united ;  but  God  has  been  pleased  to 
magnify  His  mercy  to  me,  and .  to  bless  me  be- 
yond the  common  standard  of  human  felicity. 
He  has  undoubtedly  given  me  one  of  the  most 
excellent  of  her  sex ;  and  I  thank  Him  from  my 
heart,  that  if  He  has  not  given  me  merit  enough 
to  deserve  her,  He  has  favored  me  with  under- 
standing enough  to  discover  much  of  her  value, 
and  a  temper  formed  to  taste  the  most  exquisite 
pleasure  in  the  possession  of  such  a  friend. 

*  I  hope,  if  any  memoir  of  my  life  be  ever 
written,  the  world  will  be  informed  of  that  most 
happy  part  of  my  history  which  relates  to  your 
character  and  affection,  and  takes  its  date  from 
December  22d,  1730;  and  it  probably  will,  if 
I  should  have  the  unsupportable  calamity  of  sur- 
viving you,  from  which  I  verily  believe  God  will 
graciously  deliver  me.'* 

In  the  summer  of  1751,  a  few  months  before 
his  death,  while  in  search  of  health,  he  again 
writes  to  Mrs.  Doddridge  :  *  If  there  be  any  con- 
sideration in  the  world,  next  to  the  honor  of 
God,  and  the  edification  of  the  church,  which 

*  Letter  dated  Northampton,  Jan.  7,  1743. 


82  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

could  make  me  wish  to  see  many  future  years, 
it  is  tliat  I  may  enjoy  your  delightful  friendship, 
and  repay  it  by  every  act  of  gratitude  and  expres- 
sion of  tenderness.' 

Mrs.  Doddridge  appears,  indeed,  to  have  been 
a  very  attractive,  affectionate,  and  pious  lady. 
The  editor  of  Doddridge's  Correspondence  and 
Dmry  thus  describes  her  personal  appearance  at 
the  time  of  her  marriage : 

*  She  was  rather  tall,  and  presented  that  free 
and  flowing  outline  which  painters  love  to  copy. 
Her  air  and  general  carriage  had  the  easy  self- 
possession,  and  confiding  grace,  which  inspire 
respect,  and  bestow  comfort.  She  dressed  hand- 
somely, but  without  assumption ;  and  if  she  was 
a  little  too  critical  in  that  particular,  the  sense 
of  formality  was  lost  in  the  vivacity  of  her  con- 
versation, to  which  black  eyes,  raven  hair,  and 
the  ardent  tint  which  so  often  mantles  in  the 
cheeks  of  a  brunette,  gave  a  peculiar  zest.' 

On  the  occasion  of  his  marriage,  Doddridge 
drew  up  the  following  excellent  rules,  relating 
to  his  conduct  as  a  husband :  ^  It  shall  be  my 
daily  care  to  keep  up  the  spirit  of  piety  in  my 
conversation  with  my  wife  ;  to  recommend  her 
to  the  divine  blessing  ;  to  manifest  an  obliging, 
tender  disposition  towards  her,  and  particularly 
to  avoid  everything  which  has  the  appearance 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  83 

of  pettislmess,  to  wMcli,  amidst  my  various  cares 
and  labors,  I  may,  in  some  unguarded  moments, 
be  liable.' 

The  theological  academy  which  he  had  com- 
menced at  Kibworth,  Doddridge  still  conducted 
with  great  success  at  ISTorthampton.  During  the 
twenty-two  years  of  his  tutorship,  about  two 
hundred  young  men  passed  under  his  care,  of 
whom  one  hundred  and  twenty  entered  the  min- 
istry. Among  the  most  distinguished  of  his 
students,  who  became  ministers,  were  Risdon 
Darracott,  Benjamin  Fawcett,  Job  Orton,  and 
Andrew  Kippis,  a  brief  notice  of  whose  lives 
will  not  be  inappropriate  here. 

Eisdon  Darracott,  who  has  been  distinguished 
as  'the  star  of  the  west,'  and  whom  Whitefield 
called  '  a  jlaming  and  successful  preacher  of  the 
gospel,'  was  born  in  1717.  Soon  after  finishing 
his  course  of  theological  study  under  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge, he  accepted  an  invitation  to  become  the 
pastor  of  a  Presbyterian  church  at  Wellington, 
in  Somersetshire.  Here  he  built  up  a  large  and 
flourishing  congregation;  and,  like  Baxter  at  Kid- 
derminster, was  the  means  of  effecting  a  great 
reformation  in  morals  and  religion,  in  a  town 
where,  at  the  commencement  of  his  pastorate, 
but  little  religion  was  to  be  found.  The  Rev. 
Benjamin  Fawcett,  a  man  of  similar  character, 


84  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

who  preached  his  funeral  sermon,  says  :  '  I  never 
knew  any  congregation  which  appeared  to  have 
so  many  instances  of  abiding  religious  impres- 
sions. I  have  good  reason  to  believe  that  his 
ministry  was  owned  to  the  effectual  conversion 
of  many  hundreds  of  souls.'  "When  he  under- 
took the  charge  of  the  congregation  at  Welling- 
ton, Mr.  Darracott  found  the  number  of  commu- 
nicants only  twenty-eight.  At  his  death,  after 
a  ministry  of  eighteen  years,  his  church  was  in- 
creased to  about  three  hundred  members.  Mr. 
Darracott  was  a  man  of  fervent  piety,  and  untir- 
ing zeal  in  the  cause  of  his  divine  Master. 

In  the  summer  of  1741,  when  Doddridge 
visited  this  beloved  pupil,  who  was  then  but 
recently  settled  at  "Wellington,  he  writes  con- 
cerning him :  '  Mr.  Darracott  is,  in  all  respects, 
a  most  happy  man,  and  absolutely  the  most  suc- 
cessful minister  I  have  known  among  us  for 
many  years.  He  prayed  last  night  in  a  manner 
which  approached  as  nearly  to  inspiration  as 
anything  I  have  heard,  or  ever  expect  to  hear.' 
About  two  years  after  this,  Doddridge  thus 
writes  respecting  the  usefulness  of  Mr.  Darra- 
cott as  a  preacher,  and  the  happy  frame  of  his 
mind  during  a  dangerous  illness :  ^  Mr.  Darra- 
cott is  one  of  the  most  devout  and  extraordinary 
men  I  ever   sent  out,    and   a  person  who  has, 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  85 

within  these  few  years,  been  highly  useful  to 
numbers  of  his  hearers.  Some  of  these,  who 
were  once  the  most  abandoned  characters  in  the 
place,  are  now  become  serious  and  useful  Christ- 
ians ;  and  he  himself  has  honored  his  profession, 
when  to  all  around  him  he  seemed  on  the  borders 
of  eternity,  by  a  behaviour  which,  in  such  awful 
circumstances,  the  best  of  men  might  wish  to  be 
their  own.' 

In  1759,  in  the  forty-second  year  of  his  age, 
Mr.  Darracott  died,  in  the  sweet  and  joyful  hope 
of  a  blissful  immortality.  His  death-bed  was  a 
sublime  scene  of  Christian  triumph  ;  an  illustri- 
ous instance  of  the  power  and  grace  of  the  Re- 
deemer, in  sustaining  and  soothing  His  disciples 
in  the  hour  of  death.  The  night  before  his 
death,  he  exclaimed :  ^  Oh,  what  a  good  God 
have  I,  in  and  through  Jesus  Christ !  I  would 
praise  Him,  but  my  lips  cannot.  Eternity  will 
be  too  short  to  speak  His  praises.'  To  his  phy- 
sician he  said :  '  Oh,  what  a  mercy  is  it  to  be 
interested  in  the  atoning  blood  of  Jesus  !  I  come 
to  the  Lord  as  a  vile  sinner,  trusting  in  the  merits 
and  precious  blood  of  my  dear  Redeemer.  0 
grace,  grace,  free  grace !'  In  relating  his  expe- 
rience of  the  goodness  of  God  to  him  during  his 
sickness,  he  said  :  *  If  I  had  a  thousand  lives  to 
live,  I  would  live  them  all  for  Christ.     I  have 

cast  anchor  on  Him,  and  rely  on  His  blood,  and 
8 


86  I^IFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

am  going  to  venture  my  all  upon  II  im.  There 
is  nothing  on  earth  I  desire.  Here  I  am  waiting. 
What  a  mercy  to  be  in  Jesus  !  I  am  going  to 
that  Jesus  whom  I  love,  and  whom  I  have  so 
often  preached.  Come,  Lord  Jesus,  come 
quickly.'  The  last  words  of  this  holy  man 
were  :  '  I  am  going  from  weeping  friends  to 
congratulating  angels,  and  rejoicing  saints  in 
glory.  He  is  coming.  Oh,  speed  Thy  chariot 
wheels  ;  why  are  they  so  long  in  coming  ?  I 
long  to  be  gone  !' 

*  0,  change  !  0,  wondrous  change  ! 
Burst  are  the  prison  bars ! 
This  moment  there  —  so  low 
In  mortal  prayer  —  and  now 
Beyond  the  stars ! 

0,  change !     Stupendous  change ! 
Here  lies  the  senseless  clod  ; 
The  soul  from  bondage  breaks, 
The  new  immortal  wakes  — 

Awakes  with  God !'  —  Bowles. 

Benjamin  Fawcett  was  born  in  1715,  at  Slea- 
ford,  in  Lincolnshire,  England.  After  receiving 
the  rudiments  of  a  religious  education  under  the 
parental  roof,  he  was  placed  under  the  care  of 
Dr.  Doddridge,  at  ]S"orthampton,  where  he  made 
rapid  progress  in  learning.  A  few  years  after 
completing  his  theological  course,  he  was  chosen 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTH AMPTON.  87 

pastor  of  a  large,  non-conformist  congregation 
at  Kidderminster,  the  scene  of  the  zealous  and 
faithful  ministry  of  Richard  Baxter.  When  he 
first  came  to  preach  in  that  town,  Mr.  Williams, 
of  Kidderminster,  wrote  to  Doddridge :  *  We 
have  been  blest  with  the  presence  and  excellent 
labors  of  dear  Mr.  Fawcett.  He  hath  our  hearts, 
and  I  am  certain  we  have  his.  He  came  hither 
on  the  17th ;  preached  the  next  day  thrice ; 
preached  a  preparation  sermon  on  Tuesday, 
before  many  ministers,  and  last  Lord's  day 
preached  thrice,  and  administered  the  Lord's 
supper.  Such  a  sacramental  season  my  soul 
was  never  feasted  with  before ;  I  could  most 
gladly  have  left  God's  lower  courts,  and  this 
lower  world  together,  and  have  fled  up  to  the 
realms  of  perfect  blessedness.  Adored  be  the 
divine  condescension  and  grace  for  what  I  felt 
most  sensibly  on  that  memorable  day.  Mr. 
Fawcett  had  more  than  seven  hundred  hearers, 
and  probably  will  generally  have  as  many.  Our 
people  were  never  so  taken  with  any  minister 
before.  *  *  *  There  is  reason  to 
hope  he  will  be  a  second  Baxter  among  us.* 

For  thirty-five  years  Mr.  Fawcett  fulfilled  pas- 
toral duties  at  Kidderminster.  He  died  in  1780, 
in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  his  age.     Like  his  great 

*  Kidderminster,  Aug.  29, 1744.  .^iP'SS'?**'^ 

Of  THl         ^^^ 

fllVBRSITY 


&At.^^^r^<^ 


88  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

predecessor,  Richard  Baxter,  he  was  a  man  of 
*  deep  piety,  and  wide  spiritual  comprehension ;' 
distinguished  for  his  abundant  labors,  and  his 
earnest  desire  to  display  the  glories  of  the  gos- 
pel of  the  grace  of  God.  He  is  said  to  have 
preached  three  sermons  on  the  Sabbath,  and 
several  through  the  week ;  while  he  attended 
faithfully  to  the  duties  of  family  visitation,  car- 
rying on,  at  the  same  time,  an  extensive  corre- 
spondence with  his  ministerial  brethren.  Like 
his  tutor,  Doddridge,  he  diligently  improved  his 
time,  rising  every  morning  at  five  o'clock,  in 
order  to  have  more  hours  for  study  and  devotion. 
His  constitution,  unlike  Baxter's,  was  remarka- 
bly robust.  As  an  evidence  of  this,  it  is  re- 
corded of  him,  that  he  never  had  a  fire  in  his 
study,  even  in  the  depth  of  winter. 

Doddridge  rejoiced  in  being  the  *  honored 
instrument  of  training  up  such  a  pupil.'  In 
recounting  the  mercies  of  God  to  himself,  he 
says :  *  l^or  must  I  reckon  among  the  smallest 
of  my  mercies,  the  opportunities  I  have  had  of 
seeing  how  eminently  He  has  blessed  the  labors 
of  good  Mr.  Fawcett,  and  with  what  abundant 
anointing  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  God  has  been 
pleased  to  honor  him  ;  in  consequence  of  which 
I  can  truly  say,  I  should  think  all  my  labors,  as 
a  tutor,  well  repaid,  to  have  been  instrumental 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  89 

in  raising  up  but  one  sucli  person  to  the  service 
of  the  sanctuary.' 

Mr.  Fawcett  published  some  Sermons  ;  a  trea- 
tise on  Beligious  Melancholy;  abridgments  of 
Baxter's  Call  to  the  Unconverted^  Converse  with  God 
in  Solitude^  and  Saints  Rest ;  the  work  of  abridg- 
ing which,  he  says,  '  has  been,  I  bless  God,  one 
of  the  most  delightful  labors  of  my  life.' 

Job  Orton  was  born  on  the  4th  of  September, 
1717,  at  Shrewsbury,  England.  He  received  the 
rudiments  of  his  education  in  the  grammar  school 
of  his  native  place.  In  the  summer  of  1734,  he 
commenced  his  studies  at  Il^orthampton,  under 
the  care  of  Dr.  Doddridge,  in  whose  academy  he 
was  subsequently  chosen  assistant.  In  1741,  ne 
assumed  the  pastoral  charge  of  a  non-conformist 
congregation  at  Shrewsbury,  where  he  continued 
to  labor  till  1765,  when  declining  health  com- 
pelled him  to  relinquish  preaching.  In  1766,  he 
published  the  Life  of  his  beloved  tutor  and 
friend.  Dr.  Doddridge ;  a  work  which  has  been 
greatly  valued.*     The  last   seventeen  years  of 

*  '  The  Life  of  Doddridge,  by  Orton,  is  one  of  my  choicest 
biographical  works.  There  the  character  of  Doddridge  stands 
out  boldly  and  powerfully.  We  see  what  he  was  ;  and  he  was 
a  fine,  lovely  creature  indeed.  Stoughton's  Memorial  of  Dod- 
dridge is  very  beautiful,  but  I  like  the  old  book,  after  all.  I 
wish  we  had  more  of  the  spirit  of  Doddridge  among  us.' — Rev. 
William  Jay,  in  conversation. 


90  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

his  life  were  passed  at  Kidderminster,  where  lie 
attended  the  preaching  of  the  excellent  Mr. 
Fawcett.  Here  he  expired,  on  the  19th  of  July, 
1783,  in  the  sixty-sixth  year  of  his  age.  Besides 
his  Memoirs  of  the  Life^  Character  and  Writings  of 
Doddridge,  Mr.  Orton  gave  to  the  world  Discourses 
to  the  Aged;  Beligious  Exercises  Becommended; 
Three  Discourses  on  Eternity  ;  two  volumes  of  Dis- 
courses on  Practical  Subjects ;  Sacramental  Medita- 
tions ;  Paraphrase  of  the  Old  Testament,  with  devo- 
tional and  practical  reflections;  and  Letters  to  a 
Young  Clergyman. 

Mr.  Orton  was  not  only  a  very  serious  and 
judicious  practical  writer,  but  an  earnest,  solid, 
and  eiFective  preacher.  On  one  occasion  (Dec. 
2,  1739),  Doddridge  thus  speaks  of  hearing  him 
deliver  a  discourse :  '  This  day  I  heard  dear  Mr. 
Orton  preach  one  of  the  best  sermons  that  ever 
was  preached,  of  the  service  of  Christ,  with 
unutterable  pleasure.  Blessed  be  God  who  has 
given  him  such  gifts  and  graces !  My  sermon 
was  a  very  poor  thing  in  comparison  to  it.  But 
I  speak  in  the  sincerity  of  my  heart,  and  in  the 
sincerity  of  my  heart  have  praised  the  God  of 
all  grace,  that  the  disciple  was  so  much  above 
his  master.  May  the  gifts  and  graces  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  be  multiplied  ten  thousand  fold  upon 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  91 

liim,  and  may  thousands  yet  unborn  have  reason 
to  call  him  blessed  !' 

The  most  learned  of  Doddridge's  students  was 
Andrew  Kippis,,  the  accomplished  editor  of  the 
Biographia  Britannica,  who  was  born  on  the  28th 
of  March,  1725,  at  E'ottingham,  England.  At 
the  age  of  sixteen,  with  a  view  of  entering  the 
ministry,  he  commenced  his  studies  in  the 
academy  at  N^orthampton,  under  the  direction 
of  Dr.  Doddridge.  In  this  institution  he  con- 
tinued five  years,  applying  himself  with  great 
assiduity  to  his  various  studies.  On  completing 
his  academical  studies  at  JsTorthampton,  he  was 
chosen  pastor  of  a  non-conformist  congregation 
at  Boston,  in  Lincolnshire,  in  1746.  Four  years 
afterwards  he  succeeded  the  Rev.  John  Mason* 
in  a  pastoral  charge  at  Dorking,  in  Surry.  In 
1753,  he  became  pastor  of  a  church  in  Westmin- 
ster, where  for  many  years  he  continued  his  pro- 
fessional and  literary  pursuits.  He  died  on  the 
8th  of  October,  1795,  in  the  seventy-first  year  of 
his  age.  Dr.  Kippis  possessed  a  vigorous  intel- 
lect, a  masculine  understanding,  and  a  tenacious 

*  Mr.  Mason  is  well  known  as  the  author  of  A  Treatise  on 
Self-Knowledge,'  London,  1745.  First  edition,  revised  and  cor- 
rected, with  a  life  of  the  author,  by  John  Mason  Good ;  Lon- 
don, 1811,  12mo. 

*  This  excellent  work  has  gone  through  numerous  editions 
and  several  translations.' — Lowndes. 


92  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

memory.  His  reading  and  literary  acquirements 
were  very  extensive.  Alexander  Chalmers,  in 
his  JBiographical  Dictionary,  says  :  '  Perhaps  few 
persons  ever  read  so  much,  and  with  such  advan- 
tage to  themselves  and  others,  as  Dr.  Kippis.  He 
informed  the  present  writer,  that  he  once  read, 
for  three  years,  at  the  rate  of  sixteen  hours  a 
day ;  and  one  of  the  works  which  he  read  en- 
tirely through  was  the  General  Dictionary,  in  ten 
volumes,  folio.  This,  he  added,  laid  the  foun- 
dation of  his  taste  and  skill  in  biographical 
composition.' 

Dr.  Kippis  was  the  founder  of  the  Neiv  Annual 
Register  ;  and  the  editor  of  the  new  edition  of 
the  BiograpUa  Britannica,  '  an  exceedingly  valua- 
ble work,'  which  contains  '  a  mine  of  knowledge 
that  is  invaluable  to  the  lover  of  literature.'  He 
is  also  the  author  of  a  History  of  Knowledge, 
Learning,  and  Taste  in  Great  Britain ;  Account  of 
the  Life  and  Voyages  of  Capt  Cook  ;  The  Life  of 
Nathaniel  Lardyier,  D.  D.,  prefixed  to  the  com- 
plete edition  of  that  author's  works  ;*  and  Me- 
moirs of  the  Life,  Character,  and  Writings  of  Dr. 
Doddridge,  prefixed  to  an  edition  of  The  Family 
Expositor.  In  the  conclusion  of  the  life  of  his 
beloved  tutor   and  friend.  Dr.   Doddridge,   he 

^  This  piece  of  biography  is  composed  with  great  judgment, 
and  contains  much  valuable  information. —  Walter  Wilson. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  93 

says:  'The  impression  of  his  numerous  and 
amiable  virtues  will  not  be  eflaced  from  my 
mind  so  long  as  it  retains  any  sense  of  feeling 
or  reflection.  So  far  will  be  the  impression  from 
being  lost  upon  me,  that  I  shall  always  cherish 
it  with  the  utmost  ardor ;  and  I  shall  esteem  it 
as  no  small  felicity  of  my  life,  that  I  have  been 
preserved  to  give  this  testimony  of  duty,  grati- 
tude, and  affection  to  the  memory  of  my  bene- 
factor, my  tutor,  my  friend,  and  my  father.'* 

Among  Doddridge's  students  were  also  the 
Rev.  Hugh  Farmer,  D.  D.,  a  dissenting  divine  of 
great  learning,  author  of  A  Dissertation  on  Mira- 
cles ;  Essay  on  the  Demoniacs  of  the  New  Testament ; 
and  other  ingenious  and  learned  works ;  and  the 
E.ev.  John  Aikin,  D.  D.,  who  married  Miss  Jen- 
nings, a  daughter  of  the  Rev.  John  Jennings, 
D.  D.,  and  the  young  lady  to  whom  Doddridge 
himself  was  once  so  strongly  attached,  f 

*  For  biographical  notices  of  Andrew  Kippis,  see  Wilson's 
History  of  Dissenting  Churches  /  Chalmer's  Biographical  Dic- 
tionary, and  Dr.  Rees's  Funeral  Sermon. 

f  Mrs.  Aikin  was  the  mother  of  the  learned  John  Aikin,  M. 
D.,  author  of  the  General  Biography,  in  ten  quarto  volumes; 
and  of  Mrs.  Barbauld,  one  of  the  most  distinguished  female 
writers  of  England.  Lucy  Aikin,  a  grand-daughter  of  Mrs. 
Aikin,  is  widely  and  favorably  known  as  the  authoress  of  the 
Life  of  Addison  ;  Memoirs  of  the  Court  of  Queen  Elizabeth,  and 
Other  works. 


94  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE, 

Doddridge  was  an  able  and  faithful  instructor ; 
and  by  his  efficient  management,  his  theological 
seminary  became  very  flourishing.  His  course 
of  lectures  in  the  academy  embraced  a  wide 
range  ;  comprising  the  ancient  classics,  French, 
English  literature,  geography,  moral  and  natural 
philosophy,  rhetoric,  logic,  geometry,  algebra, 
trigonometry,  conic  sections,  history,  Jewish 
antiquities,  Hebrew,  theology,  preaching,  and 
the  pastoral  care.  He  manifested  a  great  con- 
cern for  the  intellectual,  moral,  and  religious 
attainments  of  his  students.  Besides  his  daily 
instructions  and  counsels  to  them,  he  allowed 
them  access  to  his  choice  private  library,  giving 
them,  at  the  same  time,  suitable  directions  re- 
specting the  books  they  should  read.  It  was 
his  earnest  desire  that  his  students,  on  leaving 
his  academy,  should  not  only  exhibit  a  high 
degree  of  intellectual  culture,  but  also  that  fer- 
vent piety  and  active  benevolence,  which  would 
constrain  them  to  consecrate  their  lives  to  the 
service  and  glory  of  God.  *  It  is  my  heart's 
desire,  and  prayer  to  God,'  says  he,  ^that  no  one 
may  go  out  from  me  without  an  understanding 
enlightened  from  above,  a  heart  sanctified  by 
divine  grace,  quickened  and  warmed  with  love 
to  Jesus,  and  tenderly  concerned  for  the  salva- 


mS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  95 

tion  of  perishing  souls.   What  are  all  our  studies 
and  pursuits  to  this  V 

In  the  discharge  of  his  various  duties  as  a 
minister,  a  theological  professor,  and  an  author, 
Doddridge  placed  a  firm  reliance  on  divine 
strength  for  direction,  assistance,  and  success. 
When  ahout  to  undertake  any  important  work, 
his  practice  was  to  resort  to  prayer.  His  lan- 
guage is :  '  I  will  keep  up  a  lively  intercourse 
with  God  hy  prayer,  and  humbly  seek  His 
assistance  to  carry  me  pleasantly  through  this 
business.'  Under  the  influence  of  a  holy  de- 
pendence on  God,  he  breathes  the  following 
beautiful  prayer:  '  0  God,  I  would  humbly  thank 
Thee  for  that  most  favorable  and  indulgent  in- 
terposition of  providence,  which  has  fixed  me 
in  the  employments  of  a  student  and  a  minister. 
As  I  would  devote  all  my  studies  to  Thee,  Pbeg 
Thou  wilt  direct  and  assist  me  in  them.  Do 
Thou,  0  God,  give  me  a  solid  judgment,  and  a 
comprehensive  understanding ;  a  lively  imagina- 
tion, and  a  tenacious  memory.  Whether  I  read 
Thy  Word,  or  examine,  the  records  of  former 
ages,  of  study  the  writings  of  the  moderns,  for 
my  edification  in  practical  religion,  or  for  my 
improvement  in  human  literature,  may  I  plainly 
perceive  that  Thou  art  with  me  by  the  pros- 
perous success  of  all   my  undertakings.     Par- 


96  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

ticularly  grant,  if  it  be  Thy  blessed  will,  that 
the  three  great  engagements  of  a  preacher,  an 
expositor,  and  a  tutor,  which  I  have  in  prospect 
for  the  remainder  of  my  life,  may  be  all  con- 
siderably advanced  by  the  studies  of  this  day ; 
that  glory  may  redound  to  Thee,  and  benefit  to 
the  world,  as  well  as  entertainment  to  my  own 
mind  by  what  I  am  now  about  to  engage  in, 
through  Jesus  Christ,  Amen.' 

After  his  removal  to  ^Northampton,  Doddridge 
seems  to  have  continued  his  own  private  stu- 
dies, especially  in  the  department  of  sacred  lite- 
rature, with  even  greater  diligence,  and  a  higher 
relish  for  the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  Christ- 
ianity. Some  of  the  devotional  and  practical 
books  which  now  more  particularly  engaged  his 
attention,  and  which  were  among  his  favorite 
works,  were  the  Life  of  Philip  Henry ^  by  his  son 
Matthew,  the  commentator  ;*  Howe's  Discourses 
on  Carnality  of  Religious  Contention ;  on  Union 
among  Protestants ;  Funeral  Sermons  ;  and  some  of 
his  other  discourses ;  Baxter  on  Making  Light  of 

*  *  I  think  I  have  gained  as  much  benefit  from  his  Life  of  his 
incomparable  father,  as  from  any  of  his  compositions.  It  is 
one  of  my  classics.  It  is  one  of  the  most  precious  jpieces  of 
biography  with  which  I  am  acquainted.  A  young  minister 
should  have  this  book  ever  near  him.'  —  Rev.  William  Jay,  in 
conversation 


mS  FA  STORA  TE  AT  NOR  TEA  MP  TON.  97 

Christ ;  on  The  Life  of  Faith ;  on  Bepentance  ; 
on  Death  ;  on  Judgment ;  on  Right  Rejoicing ;  and 
the  rest  of  his  practical  works,  besides  a  review 
of  his  Reformed  Pastor  ;  Dr.  Bates's  works,  espe- 
cially his  Miscellaneous  and  Funeral  Sermons  ;  Dr. 
Tillotson's  Sermons  on  the  Miracles  wrought  in  con- 
firmation of  Christianity  ;  and  on  27^6  Advantages 
of  Truth  in  opposition  to  Error  ;  some  of  Bishop 
Patrick's  devotional  works ;  Burnet's  Pastoral 
Care ;  and  Dr.  Owen  on  The  Mortification  of  Sin 
in  Believers  ;  on  The  Holy  Spirit ;  on  The  Work  of 
the  Holy  Spirit  in  Prayer  ;  and  on  Apostacy ;  be- 
sides some  of  the  other  elaborate  treatises  of 
this  great  divine. 

During  his  long  residence  at  ^N'orthampton, 
Doddridge  made  frequent  visits  to  London, 
Gloucester,  l!^orwich,  St.  Albans,  "Worcester, 
"Weston  Favel,  Shrewsbury,  Wellington,  and' 
other  places,  where  he  enjoyed  the  hospitality 
of  distinguished  men,  and  sometimes  delivered 
interesting  and  impressive  discourses.  It  is  with 
pleasure  that  we  follow  him  in  these  agreeable 
excursions,  some  of  which  he  has  well  described 
in  his  letters.  At  one  time  we  find  him  at 
Theobalds,  the  delightful  residence  of  Sir 
Thomas  Abney,  where  he  is  '  obliged  to  dine 
with  Lady  Abney  and  Dr.  Watts.'*   At  another 

*  July  20,  1731. 


98  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

time,  '  after  a  great  many  visits  made  in  Lon- 
don,' we  liear  of  him  preaching  ^before  Dr. 
Watts  and  ^lyq  or  six  other  ministers.'*  On 
another  occasion  he  is  at  l^ewington,  where  he 
has  been  '  much  taken  up  in  viewing  curiosities ; 
besides  Sir  Hans  Sloane's  collection,'!  he  says, 
'I  have  seen  Hogarth's  celebrated  pictures.* 
During  the  same  visit  he  receives  '  overtures 
from  Salters'  Hall,  tending  to  a  settlement  there ; 
so  that,'  he  merrily  writes  to  his  wife,  '  if  you 
desire  to  be  a  London  lady,  you  must  let  me 
know  in  time  !'J  Several  days  after  this,  he  is 
again  in  the  great  metropolis,  calling  on  Mr. 
Calamy,  'who  is  finely   recovered.'     There  he 

*  July  6,  1734. 

f  Sir  Hans  Sloane,  Bart.,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  British 
Museum,  was  a  celebrated  botanist  and  physician.  He  wa? 
born  in  Ireland,  in  1660,  and  died  in  1752.  He  was  presi- 
dent of  the  college  of  physicians,  and  physician  to  George  II. 
On  the  death  of  Sir  Isaac  Newton,  he  was  chosen  president  of 
the  Royal  Society.  He  collected  a  great  number  of  plants, 
and  other  objects  belonging  to  natural  history.  These,  together 
with  his  valuable  private  library,  containing  about  fifty  thou- 
sand volumes  and  manuscripts,  he  bequeathed  to  the  British 
nation,  on  the  condition  that  they  would  pay  to  his  family  the 
sum  of  £20,000  sterling.  His  proposal  was  accepted  by  par- 
liament ;  and  with  this  immense  collection,  and  the  splendid 
libraries  of  Robert  Harley  and  Sir  Robert  Cotton,  was  laid  the 
foundation  of  the  British  Museum. 

J  July  12,  1735. 


HIS  PASTOR  A  TE  AT  NOR  TIIA  MP  TON.  99 

saw  Savage,  tlie  celebrated  poet,  who  *  had  lately 
been  writing  the  Progress  of  a  Divi7ie,  in  imita- 
tion of  Hogarth's  Progress  of  a  Pake  ;  it  is  a  des- 
perate satire  on  the  clergy.'*  Again,  we  see  him 
rambling  in  the  open  country,  in  the  genial  month 
of  May,  to  enjoy  relaxation  of  mind  from  his  se- 
vere studies,  and  to  hold  communion  with  the 
works  of  creation.  He  writes,  on  this  occasion, 
with  considerable  pleasantry  as  well  as  beauty 
of  sentiment,  from  the  Lodge  in  Whittlebury 
forest  to  the  Eev.  Dr.  Clarke  :  '  My  wife  and  I 
eloped  yesterday,  at  the  request  of  a  very  agree- 
able and  excellent  lady,  who  is  sister-in-law  to 
Colonel  Whitworth,  and  are  arrived  at  a  most 
elegant  rural  retreat,  where  in  such  company, 
especially  if  yours  were  added,  I  could  delight- 
fully spend  more  days  than  my  engagements  at 
home  will  allow  me  hours.  The  house  is  a 
pretty,  well-furnished  box,  just  in  the  centre  of 
a  fine  forest;  and  all  that  shady  lawns,  and 
woodland  ridings  can  do  to  beautify  and  adorn 
it,  is  done.  The  birds  and  sportive  deer  come 
and  pay  their  attendance  as  if  it  were  their  very 
business  to  divert  us.     I  am  delighted  to  see 

*  Richard  Savage  was  born  in  1698 ;  and  died,  a  prisoner 
for  debt,  in  1743,  at  the  age  of  forty-five.  For  an  impressive 
biographical  narrative  of  this  unfortunate  man,  the  reader  is 
referred  to  Dr.  Johnson's    Lives  of  the  Poets. 


100  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

how  happily  they  all  live,  and  have  already  con- 
tracted a  kind  of  friendship  for  them,  which 
makes  me  wish  the  lodge  were  nearer  home, 
that  I  might  now  and  then  steal  out,  and  leave 
all  my  cares  behind  me,  to  come  and  wander  a 
few  hours  in  these  lovely  solitudes. 

'  Many  occasions  have  called  me  out  of  late  ; 
and  the  fine  country  around  us  affords  such  a 
variety  of  entertaining  scenes,  that  I  cannot  for- 
bear pitying  nobles  and  princes,  who  are  con- 
fined to  a  town  in  such  a  charming  season,  and 
think  the  shepherd  and  the  husbandman  happier 
than  they.  In  the  meantime  I  open  my  heart 
as  widely  as  I  can,  to  take  in  the  innocent  plea- 
sure which  arises  from  a  friendly  sympathy,  not 
only  with  the  lowest  of  my  fellow  creatures,  but 
even  with  the  brutes  themselves,  in  the  ample 
provision  that  an  indulgent  Providence  has  made 
for  their  delight ;  and  I  cannot  but  often  reflect, 
on  such  occasions,  that  if  this  earth,  the  seat  of 
a  degenerate  race  of  creatures,  and  under  so 
many  tokens  of  the  divine  displeasure,  be  thus  en- 
riched and  embellished,  what  must  those  regions 
be  which  God  has  prepared  for  the  final  abode 
of  His  dear  children  in  their  perfected  state  !'* 

*May  8,  1737. 

*  If  God  hath  made  this  world  so  fair, 
Where  sin  and  death  abound, 
How  beautiful  beyond  compare 

Will  Paradise  be  found  !' — J.  Montgomery. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.         101 

The  next  year  after  writing  thus  pleasantly 
from  the  forest  of  Whittlebury,  we  follow  Dod- 
dridge to  Kensington,  in  the  vicinity  of  London, 
where  he  had  '  the  great  satisfaction  to  find 
good  Mrs.  Godwin,  whose  life  was  almost  de- 
spaired of,  most  charmingly  recovered.'  '  We 
took  a  walk  together,'  he  adds,  in  writing  to  his 
wife,  '-  of  at  least  a  mile,  and  saw,  I  need  not  tell 
you  with  what  emotion,  a  house  in  which  the 
blessed  Queen  Mary  and  good  Mr.  Addison 
lived.  It  is  one  of  the  most  romantic  and  an- 
tique I  anywhere  remember.'*  The  next  week 
he  is  in  London,  where  '  Lady  Abney  and  Dr. 
Watts  were  staying  for  him.'  He  then  goes  '  in 
her  ladyship's  coach  to  N^ewington,'  and  is  there 
received  '  in  the  most  obliging  manner  imagin- 
able.' Returning  to  London  on  horseback  in 
the  evening,  he  calls,  the  following  morning,  on 
Mr.  Sea  wen,  by  whom  he  is  received  '  in  the 
most  obliging  manner  one  can  conceive.'     'He 

*  February  3,  1738. 

The  Holland  bouse,  in  which  Addison  resided  during  the 
last  days  of  bis  life,  is  a  fine  old  mansion  '  full  of  historic  asso- 
ciations. It  takes  its  name  from  Henry  Rich,  Earl  of  Holland. 
It  was  built  by  his  father-in-law,  Sir  Walter  Cope,  in  1607, 
and  affords  a  very  good  specimen  of  the  architecture  of  that 
period.' 

The  early  days  of  Charles  James  Fox,  the  celebrated  orator 
and  statesman,  were  also  passed  in  this  venerable  mansion. 


102  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

afterwards  took  me  with  him  in  his  chariot,  to 
see  a  mathematical  curiosity ;  and  from  thence 
to  the  parliament  house,  and  all  the  way  con- 
versed with  me  in  as  friendly  a  manner  as  you 
can  imagine.'* 

Kow  we  see  him  on  a  visit  to  Stratford  upon 
Avon,  standing  with  deep  emotion,  hy  the  tomb 
of  Shakespeare.  '  I  had  on  Saturday,'  he  writes, 
'  the  pleasure  of  seeing  Shakespeare's  tomb  and 
epitaph. 't  Just  a  year  after  this  we  travel  with 
him  to  the  city  of  I*Torwich,  for  some  time  the 
scene  of  the  labors  of  the  devout  Bishop  Hall, 
where  we  find  him  setting  out  at  ^\q  o'clock  in 
the  morning,  with  Mr.  Wilkinson  and  Miss 
Scott,  in  a  chaise,  to  visit  the  residences  of  Lord 
Townsend  and  Sir  Eobert  "Walpole.  '  "We  had,' 
he  writes  to  his  wife,  ^a  very  pleasant  journey, 
first  to  Lord  Townsend's,  which  we  saw  with  no 
great  admiration,  and  then  to  the  seat  of  the 
Earl  of  Orford  (once,  you  know,  the  celebrated 
Sir  Eobert),  which  we  viewed  with  inexpressible 
pleasure.  Such  paintings  and  furniture,  on  the 
whole,  I  never  saw  ;  the  elegance  and  magnifi- 
cence of  everything  about  us  was  such,  as  not 
only  excited  delight  but  amazement.  And  you 
may  suppose  I  was  not  a  little  surprised  to  re- 

*  February  9,  1738. 
t  July  12, 1743. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.         103 

ceive  a  message  from  "his  lordship,  with  his  com- 
pliments to  me  and  Mr.  Fergusson,*  and  a  very 
obliging  invitation  for  us  to  take  up  our  quarters 
with  him.  It  was  late  in  the  evening,  but  I 
tliought  it  incumbent  on  me  to  wait  on  his  lord- 
ship, who  received  me  with  great  civility,  amidst 
a  circle  of  the  nobility  and  gentry. 'f 

Several  years  after  this  we  follow  him  on 
another  pleasant  journey  to  London,  and  find 
him  paying  a  visit  to  his  scholarly  friend,  Gilbert 
West,  author  of  Observations  on  the  History  and 
Evidences  of  the  Besurrection  of  Jesus  Christ;  in 
whose  beautiful  gardens  at  Wickham,  on  a  sum- 
mer day,  a  religious  and  philosophical  conversa- 
tion is  carried  on  between  them.  On  this  occa- 
sion, he  writes  to  his  beloved  partner  in  life :  '  I 
found  Mr.  West  as  hospitable  as  I  could  wish. 
He  came  to  meet  me  at  Croydon  on  Monday, 
carried  me  to  Wickham  in  his  chariot,  and  sent 
me  to  London  in  it  to-day.  We  spent  almost 
the  whole  intermediate  time  in  religious  and 
philosophical  discourse,  chiefly  in  one  or  another 
of  the  elegant  retreats  in  his  garden,  and  the 
result  is,  that  our  hearts  are  very  much  twisted 
together,  and  we  were  truly  sorry  to  part.     I 

*  The  doctor's  pupil,  who  accompanied  him  in  this  little  tour 
of  pleasure.' — Editor  of  Doddridge's  Correspondence. 

fJuly  11, 1744. 


104  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

should  be  very  much  inclined,  if  my  time  would 
permit,  to  give  you  a  description  of  Mr.  West's 
gardens,  which  are  extremely  pretty,  but  that  I 
m.u8t  defer  till  I  have  the  much  wished-for  plea- 
sure of  seeing  you.'*  Thus  pleasantly  did  Dod- 
dridge, in  his  excursions  from  IN'orthampton, 
spend  some  of  the  soft,  sunny  days  of  spring 
and  summer. 

The  useful  and  brilliant  career  of  Doddridge, 
as  an  author,  began  in  1730,  when  he  gave  to 
the  world  his  Free  Thoughts  on  the  Best  Means  of 
Heviving  the  Dissenting  Interest,  in  reply  to  An  In- 
quiry into  the  Causes  of  the  Decay  of  the  Dissenting 
Interest.  In  1732,  he  published  his  Sermons  on 
the  Education  of  Children,  which  are  highly 
valued  for  the  profitable  and  judicious  instruc- 
tion they  impart.  They  deserve  the  careful 
attention  of  every  parent,  or  person  to  whom 
is  intrusted  the  education  of  youth.  The  style 
in  which  they  are  written  is  simple,  perspicuous, 
and  easy. 

In  1735,  appeared  his  admirable  and  popular 
Sermons  to  Young  People ;-f  of  which  Warburton, 

*  July  27,  1749. 

I  The  late  Rev.  William  Jay,  of  Bath,  esteemed  Doddridge's 
Sermons  to  Young  Persons,  and  those  on  the  Power  and  Grace 
of  Christ,  as  some  of  the  most  beautiful  in  our  language.  And 
it  is  affirmed  that  the  celebrated  Robert  Hall  urgently  jrecom- 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        105 

m  a  letter  to  Doddridge,  writes :  '  Your  Sermons 
to  Young  People,  were  extremely  agreeable  to  me 
on  many  accounts.  I  have  a  favorite  nephew, 
to  whose  use  I  particularly  design  them.  It  is 
my  way,  after  I  read  a  book,  to  give  the  general 
character  of  it  in  some  celebrated  lines  or  other 
of  ancient  or  modern  writers.  I  have  charac- 
terized the  author  and  his  sermons,  in  these  two 
lines,  written  on  the  blank  leaf  before  the  title- 
page: 

0  friend  !  to  dazzle  let  the  vain  design  ; 

To  mend  the  heart,  and  raise  the  thoughts,  be  thine.'* 

In  1736,  Doddridge  gave  to  the  public  his 
Ten  Sermons  on  the  Power  and  Grace  of  Christ, 
and  on  the  Evidences  of  his  Glorious  Gospel,  which 
contain  a  beautiful  and  touching  exhibition  of 
the  grand  scheme  of  redeeming  love,  and  an 
incontrovertible  argument  for  the  divine  origin 
of  Christianity. 

mended  the  sermon  to*  young  people,  entitled  Christ  formed 
in  the  Soul,  the  only  Foundation  of  Hope  for  Eternity  ;  and  that, 
so  high  was  his  opinion  of  this  discourse,  he  once  actually 
delivered  it  publicly  from  memory,  on  a  Sabbath  afternoon. 
The  same  eloquent  divine  highly  commended  Doddridge's 
Evidences  of  Christianity,  which  he  considered  a  better  book  in 
some  respects  than  Paley's. 

*  '  Ah,  friend  !  to  dazzle  let  the  vain  design  ; 

To  raise  the  thought  and  touch  the  heart,  be  thine.' 

Pope's  Moral  Essays, 


106  LIFE  OF  DR.    DODDRIDGE, 

On  receiving  a  presentation  copy  of  these  ser- 
mons from  Doddridge,  Warburton*  wrote  to 
liim :  '■  I  have  received  the  very  valuable  present 
of  your  Ten  Sermons,  which  I  have  read  with 
much  pleasure  and  improvement;  they  are 
excellent.' 

*  William  Warburton  was  born  in  1698.  In  early  life  he 
devoted  himself  to  the  study  of  the  law.  He  soon  relinquished 
his  profession,  after  he  had  commenced  practice  at  Newark, 
and  turned  his  attention  to  theology.  He  subsequently  rose 
to  great  distinction  in  the  church,  and  in  1759  was  appointed 
bishop  of  Gloucester.  The  first  volume  of  his  great  work, 
The  Divine  Legation  of  Moses,  was  published  in  1738.  He  died 
at  Gloucester  in  1779,  in  the  eighty-first  year  of  his  age. 

With  all  his  vanity,  insolence,  and  dogmatism  as  a  writer, 
bishop  Warburton  was  a  man  of  great  learning  ;  of  a  tender, 
affectionate  nature,  and  remarkable  benevolence  ;  very  zealous 
in  his  efforts  to  promote  the  cause  of  Christianity. 

Dr.  Johnson  gives  the  following  estimate  of  the  literary 
character  of  this  eminent  prelate:  'About  this  time  (1738), 
Warburton  began  to  make  his  appearance  in  the  first  ranks  of 
learning.  He  was  a  man  of  vigorous  faculties ;  a  mind  fer- 
vent and  vehement,  supplied  by  incessant  and  unlimited 
inquiry ;  with  wonderful  extent  and  variety  of  knowledge, 
which  yet  had  not  oppressed  his  imagination  nor  clouded  his 
perspicuity.  To  every  work  he  brought  a  memory  full  fraught, 
together  with  a  fancy  fertile  of  original  combinations,  and  at 
once  exerted  the  powers  of  the  scholar,  the  reasoner,  and  the 
wit.' 

A  remarkably  warm  friendship  existed  between  Warburton 
and  Doddridge  ;  and  it  is  interesting  to  read  their  correspond- 
ence, which  was  carried  on  for  many  years. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON,        107 

These  sermons  are  indeed  higlily  valuable, 
and  deserve  a  careful  perusal.  With  regard  to 
them,  Doddridge  observes ;  '  These  sermons 
were  preached  at  the  desire  of  that  munificent 
benefactor  to  the  cause  of  non-conformity,  Wil- 
liam Coward,  Esq. ;  and  the  last  three  were  so 
agreeable  to  Dr.  Seeker,  then  bishop  of  Oxford, 
that  he  expressed  his  desire  to  me,  that  they 
might  be  published  alone,  for  the  use  of  junior 
students,  whose  office  calls  them  to  defend 
Christianity ;  and  perhaps  I  have  not  written 
anything  with  greater  accuracy,  or  w^hich  will 
be  found  more  adapted  to  the  use  of  junior  stu- 
dents in  theology.'* 

In  1T36,  the  university  of  Aberdeen  conferred 
upon  Doddridge  the  honorary  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  ;  on  which  occasion  he  received  the 
united  congratulations  of  his  pupils.  Grateful 
for  their  expressions  of  regard,  he  assured  them 
that  their  learning,  piety,  and  zeal  would  be 
more  to  his  honor,  and  afford  him  a  thousand 
times  more  pleasure  than  his  degree,  or  any 
other  token  of  public  esteem. 

During  the  same  year  we  find  Doddridge,  in 
a  letter  to   his   esteemed    friend,    and  former 

^  *  Doddridge's  Evidences  of  Christianity  has  been  very  highly 
valued  by  many  eminent  critics ;  and  has  long  been  used  as  a 
text-book  in  St.  John's  College,  Cambridge. 


108  ^^^^  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

patron,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Clarke,  ttius  disclosing  Ms 
plan  of  writing  his  principal  work.  The  Family 
Expositor :  '  The  proposed  work,  at  which  I 
hinted  when  I  wrote  last,  I  intend  to  call  The 
Family  Expositor.  I  have  taken  the  iN'ew  Testa- 
ment in  the  original,  according  to  the  most 
authentic  readings,  so  far  as  I  could  determine 
them,  and  translated  it  as  accurately  and  hand- 
somely as  I  could.  With  this  version  I  inter- 
weave a  large  paraphrase,  distinguishing  the  text 
by  a  diiferent  character,  and  adding  references, 
at  the  foot  of  the  page,  to  the  most  considerable 
writers  who  defend  or  dispute  the  sense  I  have 
given.  I  divide  it  into  lessons,  of  a  mode- 
rate length,  and  add  a  practical  improvement  of 
each.  I  propose  publishing  it  in  octavo  ;  the 
Harmony  of  the  Evangelists,  and  perhaps  the 
Acts,  will  make  the  first  two  volumes.  I  have 
made  some  progress  in  it,  and  collected  large 
materials  for  the  whole.'* 

Of  the  progress  he  makes  in  this  great  and 
favorite  undertaking,  he  subsequently  writes  to 
Dr.  Clarke :  '  My  Family  Expositor  goes  on 
almost  every  day ;  and  I  press  on  the  faster  in 
it,  that  I  may  leave  the  portion  on  the  evange- 
lists complete,  if,  as  I  have  great  reason  to  ex- 

*  Letter  dated  Nov.  10, 1736. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        109 

pect,  God  should  call  me  speedily  away.'*  Eight 
years  afterwards  he  writes  to  the  same  divine : 
'  I  must  not  conclude,  sir,  without  telling  you 
that  yesterday  I  finished  the  third  volume  of  my 
Family  Expositor,  the  notes  excepted.  I  thought 
that  the  most  important  work  I  had  in  suspense, 
and  hless  God  that  He  has  conducted  me  to  the 
end  of  it.'  On  the  2d  of  January,  1747,  he  says : 
*I  yesterday  begun  the  fourth  volume  of  my 
^Expositor,  and  I  fully  purpose,  by  the  divine 
assistance,  to  write  something  upon  it  every  day 
when  I  am  at  home,  and  generally  a  few  verses 
when  abroad,  while  God  is  pleased  to  spare  my 
health,  so  as  to  be  capable  to  take  pen  in  hand ; 
and  this  scheme  I  purpose  to  pursue  till  the 
whole  is  finished.' 

At  the  close  of  the  manuscript  volume  con- 
taining the  Revelation,  he  made  the  following 
memorandum  :  '  Through  the  good  hand  of  God 
upon  me,  which  I  desire  most  thankfully  to 
acknowledge,  I  ended  the  first  copy  of  the 
Family  Expositor  Dec.  31, 1748,  exactly  two  years 
after  I  began  to  write  upon  the  Eomans ;  having 
pursued  it  during  that  time  without  the  inter- 
ruption of  one  single  day  ;  such  health  and  such 
resolution  did  it  please  God  to  give  me,  amid 
the   various   scenes    of   business,    danger,  and 

*  Letter  dated  Northampton,  Jan.  1,  1737. 

10 


110  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

amusement,  througli  wliicli  I  passed.  May  His 
grace  raise  to  Himself  a  m.oiiument  of  praise 
from  this  feeble  effort  to  explain,  illustrate,  and 
enforce  His  Word.'* 

With  what  thankfulness  to  God  does  he  re- 
cord a  remarkable  preservation  of  the  manu- 
script of  the  concluding  volume  of  The  Family 
Expositor  from  a  fire  which  broke  out  in  his 
study  in  the  summer  of  1750.  As  he  was  about 
to  set  out  on  a  journey  to  Lady  Huntingdon,  he 
writes  :  '  A  terrible  accident  happened  in  my 
study,  which  might  have  been  attended  with 
fatal  consequences.  I  had  been  sealing  a  letter 
with  a  little  roll  of  wax,  and  I  thought  I  had 
blown  it  out,  when  fanned  by  the  motion  of  the 
air,  as  I  arose  in  haste,  it  was  rekindled.  It 
burned  about  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  while  we 
were  at  prayer,  and  would  have  gone  on  to  con- 

*  Doddridge  seems  to  have  carried  on  the  composition  of 
The  Family  Expositor  with  a  love  of  literary  labor  similar  to 
that  which  excited  the  mind  of  the  pious  Bishop  Home,  when 
writing  his  excellent  Commentary  on  the  Psalms.  The  bishop 
has  beautifully  recorded  his  own  literary  feelings  while  thus 
deeply  occupied  in  the  silence  of  his  study  :  '  He  arose  fresh  in 
the  morning  to  his  task ;  the  silence  of  the  night  invited  him 
to  pursue  it;  and  he  can  truly  say,  that  food  and  rest  were  not 
preferred  before  it.  Every  part  improved  infinitely  upon  his 
acquaintance  with  it,  and  no  one  gave  him  uneasiness  but  the 
last,  for  then  he  grieved  that  his  work  was  done.'     , 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  \\\ 

sume  perhaps  tlie  closet  and  the  house,  had  not 
my  opposite  neighbor  seen  the  flame  and  given 
an  alarm.  When  I  came  up,  I  found  my  desk, 
which  was  covered  with  papers,  burning  like  an 
altar.  Many  letters,  papers  of  memorandums, 
and  schemes  for  sermons,  were  consumed.  My 
book  of  accounts  was  on  fire,  and  the  names 
at  the  top  almost  burnt  through  ;  a  volume  of 
The  Family  Expositor,  the  original  manuscripts 
from  Corinthians  to  Ephesians,  surrounded  with 
flames,  and  drenched  in  melted  wax.  The  fire 
had  kindled  up  around  it,  and  burned  oflT  some 
leaves,  and  the  corners  of  the  other  books,  so 
that  there  is  not  one  leaf  entire  ;  and  yet,  so  did 
God  moderate  the  rage  of  this  element,  and 
determine  in  His  providence  the  time  of  our 
entrance,  that  not  one  account  is  rendered  uncer- 
tain by  what  it  sufiered,  nor  is  one  line  which 
had  not  been  transcribed,  destroyed  in  the  manu- 
script. I  have  to  add  that  all  my  sermons  and 
manuscripts  intended  for  the  press,  and  among 
the  rest,  the  remainder  of  the  Family  Expositor^ 
were  all  in  such  danger,  that  the  fire,  in  another 
quarter  of  an  hour,  had  probably  consumed 
them.  Observe,  my  dear  friend,  the  hand  of 
God,  and  magnify  the  Lord  with  me.'* 

*  Letter  to  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Fawcett,  dated  June  26,  1750. 


112  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

The  next  publication  of  Doddridge,  in  chro- 
nological order,  was  a  sermon,  occasioned  by 
the  death  of  his  eldest  daughter,  an  engaging 
and  promising  child,  in  her  fifth  year.  This 
child,  which  her  fond  father  called  the  '  delight 
of  his  eyes,'  and  '  one  of  the  most  amiable  crea- 
tures of  her  age  he  ever  beheld,'  was  taken  ill 
in  the  summer  of  1736,  and  in  the  autumn  of 
the  same  year  her  sparkling  eyes  were  closed  in 
death.  This  was  a  very  severe  stroke  on  Dod- 
dridge ;  but  piercing  as  was  his  grief,  he  sor- 
rowed not  'as  others  which  have  no  hope.'  In 
the  midst  of  his  domestic  afflictions  he  could 
say :  '  I  know  my  Grod  can  support  me,  and  I 
would  leave  my  all  with  Him.'  His  faith  would, 
moreover,  enable  him  to  look  from  the  grave  to 
the  mansions  of  glory,  to  see  his  dear  child  happy 
in  the  presence  of  its  Saviour  —  transplanted  to 
the  celestial  paradise,  there  to  bloom  in  immor- 
tal youth,  beauty,  and  vigor.  And  then,  the 
hope  of  soon  meeting  her  again,  on  the  heavenly 
shore,  would  be  a  cordial  to  his  fainting,  droop- 
ing heart.  Such  thoughts  should  ever  soothe 
and  cheer  Christian  parents,  whenever,  in  the 
afflictive  providence  of  God,  they  are  called  to 
consign  their  tender,  lovely  offspring,  to  the 
silent  tomb.  How  touchingly  and  beautifully 
has  one  of  the  most  celebrated  living  poets  of 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.  113 

our  own  country  expressed  the  feelings  with 
which  Christian  parents  should  contemplate  the 
departure  of  a  dear  child  1 

She  is  not  dead,  the  child  of  our  affection, 

But  gone  unto  that  school 
"Where  she  no  longer  needs  our  poor  protection, 

And  Christ  himself  doth  rule. 

Not  as  a  child  shall  we  again  behold  her  ; 

For  when  with  raptures  wild 
In  our  embraces  we  again  enfold  her. 

She  will  not  be  a  child ; 

But  a  fair  maiden  in  her  Father's  mansion, 

Clothed  with  celestial  grace  ; 
And  beautiful  with  all  the  soul's  expansion 

Shall  we  behold  her  face. —  Longfellow. 

The  sermon  which  Doddridge  preached  on  the 
death  of  his  child  is  entitled  Submission  to  Divine 
Providence  in  the  Death  of  Children;  and  is  founded 
on  2  Kings,  iv,  25,  26  :  '  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  the  man  of  God  saw  her  afar  off,  that  he 
said  to  Gehazi  his  servant.  Behold,  yonder  is 
that  Shunamite.  Eun  now,  I  pray  thee,  to  meet 
her  ;  and  say  unto  her,  Is  it  well  with  thee  ?  is 
it  well  with  thy  husband  ?  is  it  well  with  the 
child?  And  she  answered.  It  is  well.'  The  dis- 
course is  said  to  have  been  written  in  part,  upon 
the  coffin  which  inclosed  her  remains.  And 
Doddridge  tells  us  that  he  preached  it  '  in  the 


114  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

bitterness  of  his  heart,'  and  'while  that  too  dear 
a  part  of  himself  lay  dead  in  the  house.'  To 
bereaved  Christian  parents  it  is  admirably 
adapted  to  aiford  the  strongest  consolation ;  and 
among  sermons  of  a  similar  nature  there  can 
scarcely  be  found  one  more  exquisitely  tender 
and  pathetic*  Dr.  Kippis  observes  that  few 
superior  instances  of  pathetic  eloquence  are  to 
be  met  with  in  the  English  language ;  and  a  late 
writer  styles  it  '  an  incomparable  sermonl' 

In  1739,  Doddridge  gave  to  the  world  the  first 
volume  of  his  most  elaborate  production.  The 
Family  Expositor,  which  was  received  with  the 
warmest  approbation.  It  appeared  with  a  dedi- 
cation to  the  princess  of  Wales,  which,  in  the 
opinion  of  Dr.  Kippis,  affords  one  of  the  finest 
specimens  that  its  author  has  given  of  his  talents 
in  elegant  composition.  The  second  and  third 
volumes  of  this  great  work  were  issued  at  inter- 
vals of  about  two  years,  and  the  last  three,  sub- 
sequently to  the  author's  death. f     This  work, 

*  To  this  discourse  Doddridge  himself  thus  refers :  *  This, 
of  all  my  single  sermons,  is  my  favorite  work ;  and  I  bless 
God  that  I  have  heard  of  many  mourning  parents,  who  have 
found  consolation  from  what  was  so  useful  to  the  author.' 

■\  WhenWarburton  had  read  the  second  volume  of  The  Family 
Expositor,  he  wrote  to  Doddridge:  'The  greatest  thing  lean 
say  of  it  is  that  it  is  equal  to  the  first ;  and  tjie  truest  thing  I 
can  say  of  both,  that  they  surpass  anything  of  the  kind.' 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        115 

the  result  of  great  labor,  long  preparation,  and 
profound  study,  is  a  noble  and  enduring  monu- 
ment of  Doddridge's  learning,  piety  and  ability. 
In  the  critical  and  interpretive  departments  of 
sacred  literature,  it  has  long  occupied  a  distin- 
guished place ;  and  as  a  devotional  and  practical 
exposition,  is,  perhaps,  unrivaled.  It  is,  at 
present,  more  highly  valued  on  account  of  its 
truly  devotional  and  practical  character  than  for 
its  biblical  criticism, —  a  science  which  has  made 
great  advances  since  the  time  of  Doddridge. 

Glowing  encomiums  have  been  bestowed  upon 
the  Family  Expositor  by  such  eminent  theolo- 
gians and  critics  as  Dr.  Adam  Clarke,  William 
Orme,  Dr.  Dibdin,  and  Thomas  Hartwell  Home. 
'  The  Family  Expositor  should  find  a  place  upon 
the  shelf  and  upon  the  table  of  every  mansion 
where  the  moral  duties  of  a  Christian  are  en- 
joined.'* '  It  is  admirably  adapted  to  the  object 
which  the  author  had  chiefly  in  view ;  and  no 
book  can  be  read  in  a  Christian  family  with 
more  advantage.'!     'I  know  of  no    expositor 

'  This  is,  without  doubt,  the  most  considerable  work  of  my 
life ;  it  was  projected  more  than  twenty  years  ago,  and  I  have 
been  almost  continually  at  work  upon  it,  in  one  form  or 
another,  ever  since.' — Doddeidge,  in  a  letter  dated  1749. 

*Dr.  Dibdin. 
f  Orme. 


116  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

who  unites  so  many  advantages,  whether  you 
regard  the  fidelity  of  his  version,  the  fullness  and 
perspicuity  of  his  composition,  the  utility  of  his 
general  and  historical  information,  the  impar- 
tiality of  his  doctrinal  comments,  or  lastly,  the 
piety  and  pastoral  earnestness  of  his  moral 
and  religious  applications.'*  'The  principal 
charm  of  this  valuable  performance,  consists  in 
its  truly  devotional  character.  The  "  Improve- 
ments "  appended  to  each  section,  are  written 
with  a  chaste  simplicity,  and  sometimes  an 
elegance  of  style,  which  render  them  grateful  to 
the  most  refined  and  cultivated  understanding, 
and  at  the  same  time  with  an  evangelical  unc- 
tion, that  cannot  fail  to  endear  them  to  the  pious 
and  devout. 't 

In  1741,  Doddridge  published  his  two  excel- 
lent sermons  on  the  Scripture  Doctrine  of  Salvation 
hy  Grace,  and  his  well  known  Practical  Discourses 

*  Babrington,  bishop  of  Durham. 

f  Rev.  T.  Morell. 

♦  His  Expositor  I  have  diligently  and  regularly  consulted.  It 
is  the  work  of  an  accomplished,  laborious,  and  devout  student 
of  the  New  Testament.  His  "Practical  Reflections"  are  the 
gems  of  the  work.  I  consult  Guyse  and  Orton  with  frequency 
and  benefit,  but  not  with  the  pleasure  and  advantage,  gener- 
ally, that  I  examine  Doddridge.  I  love  Doddridge,  because 
he  is  so  affectionate  and  devout.' — Rev.  William  Jay,  in  con- 
versation. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        \Yl 

on  Regeneration,  wHcli  were  originally  delivered 
from  the  pulpit  on  successive  Sabbath  evenings, 
with  happy  effect  in  many  instances.  Since 
their  publication  they  have  often  been  instru- 
mental in  promoting  the  blessed  change  which 
they  so  admirably  describe.  The  eminent  John 
Foster,  in  his  last  hours,  was  so  impressed  with 
the  twenty-sixth  sermon,  on  '  The  Incapacity  of 
an  unregenerate  Soul  for  relishing  the  enjoy- 
ment of  the  Heavenly  World,'  that  he  desired 
his  daughters  to  promise  him  to  read  it  every 
month,  stating  that  he  thought  no  one  could 
read  it  often  without  a  salutary  effect. 

The  Evil  and  Danger  of  Neglecting  Men's  Souls, 
is  the  title  of  a  single  discourse,  preached  by 
Doddridge  at  l^orthampton,  at  a  meeting  of 
clergymen,  on  the  15th  of  October,  1741,  and 
published  the  succeeding  February.  The  fol- 
lowing reference  to  this  sermon  and  the  occasion 
on  which  it  was  delivered,  by  one  who  was 
present,  will  be  read  with  interest :  '  He  enter- 
tained us  with  an  excellent  discourse,  from  2 
Peter,  v,  6.  It  was  a  remarkable  day  indeed, 
when  the  presence  of  God  filled  our  assembly  ; 
and  not  myself  only,  but  many  others,  have  with 
pleasure  owned  it  was  one  of  the  best  days  of 
our  lives.  Though  the  season  was  hot,  the  au- 
ditory very  much  crowded,  and  between  four 


118  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

and  ^YQ  liours  spent  in  the  public  worship,  none 
thought  the  hours  tedious,  or  wished  for  a  dis- 
mission.* 

In  his  sermon  on  this  occasion,  Doddridge 
displays  his  tender  concern  for  the  souls  of  men 
and  their  everlasting  welfare.  The  discourse  is 
well  calculated  to  excite  ministers  to  a  more 
earnest,  pressing,  and  solemn  declaration  of 
their  all-important  and  glorious  message ;  and 
may  be  strongly  commended  to  the  serious  at- 
tention of  all  those  whose  noblest  ambition  is 
to  save  a  soul  from  death,  and  hide  a  multitude  of  sins. 
"Written  in  an  appropriate,  dignified,  and  pa- 
thetic style,  it  is  one  of  Doddridge's  best  ser- 
mons ;  and  among  the  most  useful,  of  its  kind, 
in  our  language. 

'  I  take  the  first  opportunity,'  writes  the  Rev. 
Hugh  Farmer  to  Doddridge,  '  of  acknowledging 
my  obligation  to  you  for  the  favor  of  your  ser- 
mon ;  which  I  cannot  but  greatly  value,  both  as 
a  testimony  of  your  kind  regard,  and  as  a  wise 
and  seasonable  admonition.  It  is  impossible  not 
to  be  impressed  with  your  affecting  representa- 
tion of  the  evil  and  danger  of  neglecting  the  souls 
of  men.  "When  I  seriously  consider  how  im- 
portant, how  difficult  and  dangerous  a  trust  is 
lodged  in  the  ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  whom 

*  Richard  Frost's  Funeral  Sermon  on  Dr.  Doddridge. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.         HQ 

the  care  of  immortal  souls  is  committed,  I  won- 
der that  it  is  possible  for  us  to  think  of  anything 
but  how  to  execute  that  trust  with  the  greatest 
faithfulness  and  diligence.  It  is  strange  that  we 
do  not  rather  want  cautions  against  too  great  a 
solicitude  in  our  work,  which  might  very  much 
distract  our  thoughts  and  impair  our  health, 
than  pressing  exhortations  and  the  most  solemn 
admonitions  not  to  be  slothful  or  negligent  in  a 
concern  which,  when  we  think  of  it  at  all,  must 
swallow  up  every  other  thought.'* 

The  untiring  pen  of  Doddridge  produced,  in 
1742,  a  beautiful  and  interesting  sketch  of  the 
Life  and  Character  of  the  Rev,  Thomas  Steffe,  a 
young  minister  of  exemplary  devotedness,  for- 
merly a  student  in  the  theological  academy  at 
N'orthampton. 

In  1743,  Doddridge  appeared  as  a  champion 
of  the  Christian  faith,  in  his  Letters.,  in  answer 
to  a  deistical  book  entitled  Christianity  not  founded 

*  Bishop  Burnet,  in  an  address  to  clergymen,  in  the  admi- 
rable conclusion  of  the  History  of  his  own  Time,  has  this  stir- 
ring and  solemn  remark :  *  Think  of  the  account  you  must  give 
for  those  immortal  souls  committed  to  your  care,  which  were 
redeemed  by  the  blood  of  Christ,  who  has  sent  you  in  His 
name  to  persuade  them  to  be  reconciled  to  God,  and  at  last  to 
present  them  to  Him  faultless,  with  exceeding  joy.  He  sees 
and  observes  your  labors,  and  will  recompense  them  gloriously 
in  that  great  day.' 


120  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

on  Argument  These  Letters  have  reflected  the 
brightest  honor  on  his  acuteness  and  skill  in 
argument,  and  justly  merit  the  applause  they 
have  so  often  received  ;  for  '  rarely  has  a  contro- 
versial work  appeared  of  equal  ability.  Preci- 
sion, order,  clearness,  continuity,  force,  all  on 
the  same  high  level,  distinguish  this  masterly 
production  from  beginning  to  end;  and  well 
would  it  repay  careful  perusal,  now  that  the 
infidel  controversy  is  being  revived  in  a  simihir 
form,  and  under  the  same  specious  but  intolera- 
bly false  pretences.' 

Among  the  valued  friends  and  correspondents 
of  Doddridge,  at  this  period,  was  Thomas  Seeker, 
an  eminent  and  pious  prelate.*     About  the  time 

*  Thomas  Seeker  was  born  in  1693.  He  was  educated  for 
the  ministry  among  the  dissenters,  but  subsequently  united 
with  the  Episcopalians.  He  was  consecrated  bishop  of  Bris- 
tol in  1735;  translated  to  Oxford  in  1737;  and  promoted  to 
the  Archbishopric  of  Canterbury  in  1758.  He  died  in  1768, 
in  the  seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age. 

Archbishop  Seeker  was  one  of  the  most  popular  preachers 
of  his  age.  Says  Hervey,  *  When  Secker  preaches,  or  when 
Murray  pleads,  the  church  is  crowded  and  the  bar  is  thronged.' 
He  was  an  able  advocate  of  Christianity,  and  deeply  interested 
in  the  promotion  of  vital  religion.  *  I  am  much  pleased  that 
Bishop  Secker  is  so  much  concerned  for  the  interest  of  reli- 
gion,' writes  the  Rev.  John  Barker  to  Doddridge,  in  1743. 
Secker  is  the  author  of  some  excellent  sermons  which  furnish 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        121 

of  the  publication  of  Doddridge's  Letters  against 
infidelity,  he  wrote  to  him,  expressing  tlie  high 
regard  which  he  had  for  his  books,  and  his  labors 
in  the  cause  of  Christianity.  '  I  have  read  your 
works,'  he  says,  'with  great  satisfaction,  and,  I 
hope,  some  benefit;  and  both  rejoice  and  won- 
der that  in  the  midst  of  your  other  occupations 
you  continue  able,  as  I  pray  God  you  long  may, 
to  oblige  your  fellow  Christians  so  often  and  so 
highly  from  the  press.  Indeed,  it  must  and 
ought  to  be  owned,  in  general,  that  the  dissenters 
have  done  excellently  of  late  years  in  the  service 
of  Christianity ;  and  I  hope  our  common  war- 
fare will  make  us  chiefly  attentive  to  our  com- 
mon interest,  and  unite  us  in  a  closer  alliance.' 

In  1745,  the  most  widely  circulated  of  all  Dr. 
Doddridge's  publications  was  issued  from  the 
press,  '  The  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the 
Soul;  '  a  work  which,  if  he  had  written  no  other, 
would  have  been  amply  sufficient  to  embalm  the 
memory  of  its  pious  author,  and  transmit  his 
name  with  distinguished  honor,  to  far  distant 
generations.'  Dr.  Watts  had  the  honor  of  draw- 
ing the  plan  of  this  work,  but,  unable  to  execute 
it  himself,  on  account  of  his  '  growing  infirmi- 

many  '  noble  specimens  of  practical  preaching  to  intelligent, 
congregations.'  His  works  were  reprinted  in  6  vols.,  8vo., 
Loudon,  1811. 

11 


122  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

ties,'  he  earnestly  and  repeatedly  requested  Dod- 
dridge to  undertake  the  performance,  regarding 
him  as  the  best  fitted  of  all  his  acquaintances  to 
perform  the  task  in  the  most  acceptable  and  use- 
ful manner.  His  solicitations  were  pressed  with 
such  affectionate  address  that  Doddridge  could 
not  resist  them,  and  accordingly  undertook  the 
work.  When  the  inestimable  treatise  was  fin- 
ished, Dr.  Watts  revised  as  much  of  it  as  his 
failing  health  would  admit.  In  one  of  his  let- 
ters to  Doddridge,  we  find  this  venerable  poet 
and  divine  thus  expressing  himself:  ^  I  long  to 
have  your  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  appear  in 
the  world.  I  wish  my  health  had  been  so  far 
established  that  I  could  have  read  over  every 
line  with  the  attention  it  merits ;  but  I  am  not 
ashamed,  by  what  I  have  read,  to  recommend  it 
as  the  best  treatise  on  practical  religion  which 
is  to  be  found  in  our  language,  and  I  pray  God 
that  it  maybe  extensively  beneficial.'*  Written 
with  beautiful  simplicity,  and  full  of  exquisitely 
tender  and  pathetic  passages,  no  book  is,  per- 
haps, more  calculated  to  awaken  religious  im- 
pressions in  the  most  thoughtless.  The  Rev. 
Dr.  Hamilton,  in  The  North  British  Review, 
acknowledges  that   '  it  is  the  best  book  of  the 

*  Letter  dated  Newington,  Sept.  13,  1744. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        123 

eighteentli  century ;  and,  tried  by  tlie  test  of 
usefulness,  we  doubt  if  its  equal  has  since  ap- 
peared. Rendered  into  tlie  leading  languages 
of  Europe,  it  bas  been  read  by  few  without  im- 
pression, and  in  the  case  of  vast  numbers  that 
impression  has  been  enduring.'*  Who  can  tell 
the  number  of  conversions  this  book  has  already 
been  instrumental  in  effecting?  i^ot  till  the 
judgment  day  will  it  be  known  how  many  weary 
pilgrims  it  has  been  the  means  of  conducting  to 
the  haven  of  eternal  rest.f 

The  happy  effect  of  the  Rise  and  Progress  on 
the  mind  of  William  "Wilbekforce,  the  Christian 

^  Every  reader  and  admirer  of  Doddridge  should  not  fail  to 
peruse  John  Foster's  Introductory  Essay  to  the  Rise  and  Pro- 
gress. It  is  one  of  the  most  magnificent  pieces  ever  written 
by  that  profound,  original  author.  Of  Foster's  writings, 
Robert  Hall  has  well  remarked :  « They  are  like  a  great  lum- 
ber wagon  loaded  with  gold.' 

j-  '  I  wrote  The  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion  in  the  Soul,  on 
a  plan,  in  part  suggested  by  Dr.  Watts,  and  also  dedicated  it 
to  that  justly  celebrated  man,  and  most  amiable  and  constant 
friend.  This  is  the  book  which,  so  far  as  I  can  judge,  God  has 
honored  for  the  conversion  and  edification  of  souls,  more  than 
any  of  my  writings.  The  editions  and  translations  of  it  have 
been  multiplied  far  beyond  my  hope  and  expectation,  and  I 
cannot  mention  it  without  humbly  owning  that  great  hand  of 
God  which  has  been  with  it,  and  to  which  I  desire  with  unaf- 
fected abasement  of  mind  to  ascribe  all  the  glory  of  its  accept- 
ance and  success. —  Doddridge,  in  a  letter  to  Mr.  Wilbaum. 


124  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

statesman  and  philanthropist,  is  well  known. 
Just  before  setting  out  on  a  continental  tour, 
while  a  gay,  thoughtless  young  man,  he  hap- 
pened to  take  up  the  work,  and  glancing  hastily 
over  its  pages,  asked  Isaac  Milner,  his  friend  and 
fellow  traveler,  what  was  the  character  of  the 
book.  '  It  is  one  of  the  best  books  ever  writ- 
ten,' was  Milner's  reply;  ' let  us  take  it  with  us 
and  read  it  on  our  journey.'  Wilberforce  '  easily 
consented,  and  they  read  it  carefully  together, 
with  this  much  effect,  that  he  determined  at 
some  future  season  to  examine  the  Scriptures 
for  himself,  and  see  if  things  were  stated  there 
in  the  same  manner.'* 

We  would  here  give  a  striking  instance  of  the 
usefulness  of  this  work,  which  illustriously  dis- 
plays the  riches  of  divine  grace  in  reclaiming  the 
erring  from  those  ways  which  lead  to  '  the  cham- 
bers of  death.'  This  incident  was  related  by  the 
Eev.  James  Hill.  'I  was  intimate,'  he  says, 
'  with  the  friends  of  an  officer  of  most  licentious 
character,  so  much  so,  that  his  tent  used  to  be 
known  among  his  fellow  officers  by  the  name  of 
"hell."  It  so  happened  that  he  went  to  visit  a 
brother  officer  at  a  distant  station.  This  brother 
officer  was  not  himself  a  pious  man ;  but  amongst 
the  books  lying  about  in  his  room,  there  hap- 

*  Life  of  Wilberforce,  by  his  sons. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON,        125 

pened  to  be  Doddridge's  Rise  and  Progress.  By 
some  means  or  other  it  secured  tlie  attention  of 
this  licentious  man.  He  took  it  up  ;  lie  read  it ; 
read  it  with  great  attention  ;  but  still  would  not 
suffer  his  brother  officer  to  see  what  he  was 
doing.  The  time  of  his  return  to  his  regiment 
came,  and  he  was  so  ashamed  of  letting  it  be 
seen  that  he  took  an  interest  in  this  book,  that 
though  he  longed  to  take  it  with  him,  and  was 
anxious  above  all  things  to  possess  it,  he  would 
not  let  it  be  known ;  but  when  he  packed  up  his 
baggage,  he  packed  up  this  book  with  it,  and 
returned.  He  then  read  the  book;  read  it 
through ;  offered  up  all  the  prayers  that  it  con- 
tains. He  read  it  a  second  time  ;  and  the  result 
of  all  was,  he  sent  the  book  back,  with  a  letter 
to  the  officer,  pressing  on  him  the  duty  of  read- 
ing it,  and  showing  by  his  letter  that  he  himself 
was  converted  to  Grod  by  what  he  had  read.  He 
became  a  decided  champion  for  the  faith.  He 
lived  but  a  few  months  after  that,  but  died  in 
peace  with  God,  and,  I  trust,  is  gone  to  that 
world  of  glory  where  he  will  speak  of  the  won- 
ders of  the  divine  providence,  as  well  as  the 
riches  of  divine  grace.'* 
The  Rise  and  Progress  is  also  regarded  as  hav- 

*  Jubilee  Memorial  of  the  (London)  Religious  Tract  Society,  p. 
208. 


126  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

ing  been  the  principal  means  of  the  conversion 
of  Sir  James  Stonehouse,  an  eminent  physician 
of  ^Northampton,  who  for  seven  years  was  a  con- 
firmed infidel.*     In  a  letter  to  the  Eev.  Mr. 

*  Sir  James  Stonehouse  was  born  in  1716,  in  Berkshire, 
England.  He  received  his  collegiate  education  at  Oxford, 
where  he  took  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in  1745.  He  passed  two 
years  in  the  study  of  medicine  in  France ;  and  on  his  return  to 
England,  commenced  to  practice  as  a  physician  at  Coventry, 
where  he  married  Miss  Anne  Neale.  *  This  lady,  who  died  in 
1747,  soon  after  their  marriage,  in  the  twenty-fifth  year  of  her 
age,  is  introduced  as  one  of  the  examples  of  frail  mortality  in 
Hervey's  Meditations,  and  is  farther  commemorated  there  in  a 
note.' 

After  a  year's  residence  at  Coventry,  Dr.  Stonehouse  re- 
moved, in  1743,  to  Northampton,  where  he  had  a  very  exten- 
sive practice.  When  he  first  came  to  Northampton,  he  was  an 
avowed  infidel.  He  even  wrote  a  pamphlet  against  revealed 
religion,  which  passed  through  three  editions ;  a  publication 
which  he  afterwards  retracted.  After  he  settled  at  North- 
ampton, he  soon  became  intimately  acquainted  with  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge ;  and  by  a  careful  perusal  of  The  Rise  and  Progress,  was 
led  to  renounce  his  infidelity  and  to  consecrate  himself  to  the 
service  of  Christ.  After  practicing  twenty  years  as  a  physi- 
cian, with  great  success  and  pecuniary  profit,  he  relinquished 
the  practice  of  his  profession,  and  entered  the  Christian  min- 
istry. He  became  very  popular  as  a  preacher,  and  eminent  as 
a  man  of  piety.  He  became  rector  of  Great  and  Little  Cheve- 
rell,  in  Wiltshire,  '  where  he  became  the  spiritual  guide  of 
Hannah  More,  and  the  '*  Mr.  Johnson  "  of  her  admirable  and 
far-famed  tract,  The  Shepherd  of  Salisbury  Plain.^ 

Dr.  Stonehouse  was  the  pious  and  beloved  family  physician 
of  Doddridge,  and  the  Rev.  James  Hervey.     He  died  in  1795, 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.         127 

Darracott,  written  in  March,  1747,  Doddridge 
tlius  relates  this  remarkable  conversion :  '  One 
of  the  most  signal  instances  in  which  God  has 
ever  honored  me,  was  in  the  conversion  of  a 
physician  of  this  town,  who  was  once  a  most 
abandoned  rake  and  an  audacious  deist.  God 
made  me  the  means,  first  of  bringing  him  to  a 
conviction  of  the  truth  of  Christianity,  then  of 
correcting  his  morals,  and  bringing  him  to  at- 
tend the  public  worship  of  God  at  church ;  and, 
at  length,  of  enlightening  his  mind  with  that 
true  and  saving  knowledge  of  Christ  to  which,  I 
bless  God,  he  has  now  attained.  He  has  written 
many  most  truly  Christian  letters  to  his  old 
companions ;  and  has  already,  as  he  informs  me, 
in  a  letter  which  I  received  from  him  but  last 
post  (for  he  is  now  in  London),  been  the  means 
of  converting  an  intimate  friend,  who  was  once 
as  great  a  deist  as  himself,  so  that  he  is  become 
a  true  lover  of  Jesus  Christ.  His  is,  indeed,  an 
amazing  change.  Good  Mr.  Hervey  has  been 
honored  as  a  fellow  laborer  with  me  in  this  work. 
My  book  on  the  Rise  and  Progress  of  Religion.^  has 
been,  I  hope,  honored  of  God  as  one  great  means 
of  producing  this  blessed  change.     He  has  read 

in  the  eightieth  year  of  his  age.  He  is  the  author  of  The  Sick 
Man's  Friend,  and  several  other  short  treatises  on  religious 
subjects.' 


128  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

it  again  and  again,  and  marked  with  a  line  drawn 
under  tliem  some  hundreds  of  passages  which, 
occur  in  that  treatise.' 

For  the  Rise  and  Progress  Doddridge  received 
the  thanks  of  many  eminent  divines  and  pious 
laymen  of  his  day.  It  is  interesting  to  read  some 
of  the  letters  addressed  to  him  on  its  pubhca- 
tion.  The  Rev.  David  Jennings,  D.  D.,  in  writ- 
ing to  him,  styles  this  performance  one  of  the 
best,  and,  he  hopes  most  useful  books  that  has 
been  published  in  his  time.  '  I  rejoice  to  hear,' 
he  adds,  '  that  it  spreads  into  many  hands ;  may 
the  blessing  of  God  attend  it  to  as  many  hearts, 
and  then  whatever  recompense  you  may  receive 
for  your  labor  in  this  world,  it  will  be  of  small 
consideration  to  the  many  crowns  of  rejoicing 
you  shall  receive  on  account  of  it  in  the  day  of 
the  Lord.'* 

In  1747,  Doddridge  produced  his  interesting 
Memoirs  of  Colonel  Gardiner,  which  has  been  fre- 
quently reprinted. 

Christ's  Gracious  Invitation  to  Thirsty  Souls,  is 
the  title  of  a  sermon  published  by  Doddridge  in 

*  *  I  may  with  truth  assure  you,  that  I  never  was  so  deeply 
affected  with  anything  I  ever  met  with  as  with  that  book ;  and 
I  could  not  be  easy  till  I  had  given  one  to  every  servant  in 
my  house.' — The  Duchess  of  Somerset,  in  a  letter  to  Dod- 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        129 

1748,  with  a  dedication  to  the  Kev.  James  Her- 
vey,*  author  of  Theron  and  Asjpasio ;  Meditations 
and  Contemplations.  A  tender,  beautiful,  simple, 
and  instructive  discourse,  it  affords  an  excellent 
model  for  preachers,  and  is  well  suited  to  pro- 
mote the  grand  end  of  the  gospel  ministry  —  to 
attract  the  thirsty,  weary  soul  to  the  Fountain 
of  Life.  It  may  be  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
specimens  of  Doddridge's  general  style  of 
preaching.  It  was  one  of  the  most  effective 
sermons  he  ever  delivered,  as  we  learn  from  the 
dedication,  in  which  he  says  :  '  Something  of  a 
peculiar  blessing  seemed  to  attend  the  discourse, 
when  delivered  from  the  pulpit ;  and  to  such  a 

^  Mr.  Hervey  was  among  the  dearest  and  most  valued 
friends  of  Doddridge,  at  this  period.  He  was  born  near  North- 
ampton, England ;  and  was  educated  in  the  grammar  school 
of  Northampton,  and  in  the  university  of  Oxford.  When  Dod- 
dridge published  his  sermon  on  Christ's  Gracious  Invitation^ 
Mr.  Hervey  was  minister  of  a  church  at  Weston  Favel,  a  little 
village  pleasantly  situated  about  two  miles  from  Northampton. 
In  1758,  in  the  forty-fifth  year  of  his  age,  he  departed  this 
life,  breathing  these  words  in  his  last  moments  :  *  How  thank- 
ful am  I  for  death !  It  is  the  passage  to  the  Lord  and  giver  of 
eternal  life.  0  welcome,  welcome  death  !  Thou  mayest  well 
be  reckoned  among  the  treasures  of  a  Christian.  To  live  is 
Christ ;  to  die,  is  gain !  Lord,  now  lettest  Thou  thy  servant 
depart  in  peace;  for  mine  eyes  have  seen  Thy  salvation.'  '  The 
conflict  is  over  ;  now  all  is  done.^     *  Precious  Salvation.' 

On  an  occasional  celebration  of  Mr.   Hervey's  virtues  and 


130  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

degree  as  I  do  not  know  to  have  been  equalled 
by  any  other  sermon  I  ever  preached.'  How 
often  have  sermons  of  this  stamp,  delivered  with 
earnestness  and  solemnity,  been  '  mighty  through 
God,'  in  the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  in  the 
edification  and  consolation  of  saints ! 

In  1748,  Doddridge  edited  the  works  of  his 
favorite  author.  Archbishop  Leighton,  a  divine 
upon  whom  one  of  his  latest  biographers  has 
passed  the  following  eulogy :  '  Among  the  first 
preachers  of  his  own  day,  he  has  never  been 
surpassed,  taking  him  all  in  all,  since  that  period. 

talents,  at  the  village  of  Weston  Favel,  in  1823,  James  Mont- 
gomery, the  poet,  composed  a  beautiful  tributary  poem,  in 
which  he  says : 

*  Stars,  flowers,  and  tombs  were  themes  for  solemn  thought 
With  him  whose  memory  we  recall. 

Yet  more  than  eye  can  see  he  sought; 

His  spirit  looked  through  all, 

Keenly  discern'd 

The  truths  they  teach, 

Their  lessons  learn'd, 

And  gave  their  silence  speech. 

*  Go,  meditate  with  him  among  the  tombs, 
And  there  the  end  of  all  things  view ; 
Visit  with  him  spring's  earliest  blooms. 
See  all  things  there  made  new  ; 
Thence  rapt  aloof 

In  ecstasy, 

Hear,  from  heaven's  roof, 

Stars  preach  eternity.' 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        131 

More  sententious  than  Reynolds ;  more  refined 
than  Howe ;  more  eloquent  than  Baxter ;  less  dif- 
fuse and  argumentative,  but  more  practical  than 
Charnock ;  less  profound,  but  clearer  and  more 
savory  than  Owen ;  less  ingenious,  but  sweeter 
and  more  sublime  than  Hall  —  he  will  not  suffer 
by  comparison  with  any  divine,  in  any  age.'*  In 
speaking  of  the  works  of  Leighton,  the  Eev. 
Dr.  Miles,  in  a  letter  to  Doddridge,  says :  '  You 
mention  to  me  Archbishop  Leighton's  works.  I 
bless  God  I  ever  met  with  them.  I  have  his 
Commentary  on  the  whole  First  Epistle  to  Peter ;  a 
small  volume  of  Sermons,  and  his  Prcelectiones.f 
There  is  a  spirit  in  them  I  never  met  with  in 
any  other  human  writings ;  nor  can  I  read  many 

*  The  Rev.  G.  Jerment. 

■f  In  his  Lectures  on  Preaching,  Doddridge  says  that  Archbi- 
shop I^eighton's  Works  ought  to  be  reckoned  *  among  the  great- 
est treasures  of  the  English  tongue.  They  continually  over- 
flow with  love  to  God,  and  breathe  a  heart  entirely  transformed 
by  the  gospel,  above  the  views  of  everything  but  pleasing  God.' 
'  His  Commentary  on  Peter,^  he  elsewhere  remarks,  '  I  esteem 
one  of  the  most  excellent  pieces  I  have  ever  read.' 

Doddridge's  edition  of  Leighton's  Expository  TForA;^  was  pub- 
lished in  two  octavo  volumes  by  David  Wilson,  Edinburgh, 
1748.  The  last  and  best  edition  of  the  Whole  Works  of  Leigh- 
ton  is  that  by  J.  N.  Pearson,  M.  A.,  with  a  life  of  the  author  ; 
reprinted  by  the  Messrs.  Carter,  New  York,  in  one  goodly  oc- 
tavo volume,  with  the  addition  of  Mr.  Aikman's  Life  of  Leigh- 
ton^  and  valuable  indexes. 


132  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

lines  in  them  without  being  moved.'  In  later 
times  S.  T.  Coleridge  has  this  remark  :  '  If  there 
could  be  an  intermediate  space  between  inspired 
and  uninspired  writings,  that  space  would  be 
occupied  by  Leighton.'* 

Such  are  the  principal  works  of  Doddridge, 
which  were  issued  from  the  press  during  his 
lifetime.  His  Lectures  on  Freaching,  and  the  Seve- 
ral Branches  of  the  Ministerial  Office,  given  to  the 
world  since  his  death,  are  among  the  most  valua- 
ble of  his  compositions,  and  deserve  a  careful 
perusal  by  every  pastor  and  candidate  for  the 
ministerial  office.  His  Lectures  on  Pneumatology, 
Ethics  and  Divinity  ;  and  his  Hymns  are  also  post- 
humous publications,  t 

The  intellectual  labor  which  Doddridge  per- 

*  *  Coleridge's  Aids  to  Reflection  has  for  its  foundation  selec- 
tions from  the  writings  of  Leighton.  Fail  not,  reader  to  pos- 
sess thyself  of  it,  and  make  the  rich  treasure  thy  manual.' — 
C.  D.  Cleveland. 

f  An  excellent  edition  of  the  Whole  Works  of  Doddridge,  in 
10  volumes,  octavo,  edited  by  D.  Williams  and  the  Rev.  E. 
Parsons,  was  published  at  Leeds  in  1802.  His  Miscellaneous 
Works,  in  one  volume,  imperial  octavo,  with  a  valuable  intro- 
ductory essay  by  the  Rev.  T.  Morell,  of  Coward  College,  was 
issued  in  1839. 

In  noticing  the  Works  of  Doddridge,  the  London  Evangelical 
Magazine  says :  *  These  volumes  must  rank  with  our  first  Eng- 
lish classics,  and  must  go  down  to  posterity  as  specimens  of 
the  English  language  rarely  surpassed.' 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.        133 

formed  in  the  several  capacities  of  pastor,  au- 
thor, and  tutor,  from  the  commencement  of  his 
settlement  at  I^orthampton  till  the  time  of  his 
preaching  his  last  sermon,  was  certainly  extraor- 
dinary, and  must  excite  the  admiration  of  all 
who  carefully  review  his  active  and  laborious 
life. 

The  powerful  mind  of  Dr.  Chalmers  was  not 
a  little  impressed  with  the  multiplicity  of  labors 
which  Doddridge  carried  on  during  his  ministe- 
rial career,  as  well  as  with  the  fervor  of  his  de- 
votional feelings.  While  reading  his  Life,  by 
Orton  —  a  book  which  he  highly  prized  —  he 
thus  piously  recorded  his  own  feelings  in  his 
Journal : 

'  March  12th,  1812. — I  am  reading  the  Life  of 
Doddridge,  and  am  greatly  struck  with  the  quan- 
tity of  business  which  he  put  through  his  hands. 
O  God,  impress  upon  me  the  value  of  time,  and 
give  regulation  to  all  my  thoughts  and  all  my 
movements.  I  abandon  plans,  and  cast  my  care 
on  Him  who  cares  for  me.  May  I  be  strong  in 
faith,  instant  in  prayer,  high  in  my  sense  of  duty, 
and  vigorous  in  the  execution  of  it.  When  I 
detect  myself  in  unprofitable  reverie,  let  me 
make  an  instant  transition  from  dreaming  to 
doing. 

'  March  14^A. —  I  am  much  impressed  with  the 
12 


134  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

reality  and  important  business  style  of  Dod- 
dridge's intercourse  with  God.  O  Heavenly 
Father !  convert  my  religion  from  a  name  to  a 
principle.  Ering  all  my  thoughts  and  move- 
ments into  an  habitual  reference  to  Thee.  May 
I  call  on  Thy  name,  in  deed  and  reality,  that  I 
may  be  saved.'* 

In  the  year  1748,  Doddridge  lost  his  dear  and 
valuable  friend,  the  pious  Dr.  "Watts,  who  de- 
parted this  life  on  the  25th  of  I^ovember,  in  the 
seventy-fifth  year  of  his  age,  in  '  sure  and  cer- 
tain hope '  of  a  blessed  immortality.'  On  his 
death  E^athaniel  l^eal,  Esq.,  a  distinguished  at- 
torney in  London,  whom  Dr.  Watts  appointed 
one  of  his  executors,  thus  wrote  to  Doddridge : 
'  When  one  thinks  of  the  death  of  so  great  a 
man  as  Dr.  Watts,  it  strikes  a  damp  to  one's 
heart  like  the  setting  of  the  sun ;  though  I  cheer 
myself  with  this  thought,  that  he  is  risen  on 
some  happier  world  with  a  new  and  more  re- 
splendent glory.  O  may  the  scattered  rays  he 
has  left  behind  him  in  our  benighted  hemi- 
sphere, light  and  cheer  us  onward  in  our  ascent 
to  the  regions  of  everlasting  day ;  where  the 
system  of  universal  nature  will  be  unveiled  to 
our  view,  and  where  the  firmament  is  filled  with 

*  Hanua's  Memoirs  of  the  Life  and  Writinga  of  Dr.  Chalmers. 


HIS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON.         I35 

stars,  that  are  risen,  never  to  set  any  more.'* 
But  how  soon  was  Doddridge  himself  to  follow 
his  heloved  friend,  Dr. Watts,  to  the  grave  !  How 
soon  were  they  to  meet  on  the  heavenly  shore  ! 
Lovely  and  pleasant  were  these  excellent  men 
in  their  lives ;  and  in  their  death  they  were  not 
far  divided.  The  last  days  of  Doddridge  are 
soon  to  pass  in  review  hefore  us.  And  a  con- 
templation of  the  scenes  of  those  days  must 
ever  excite  emotions  hoth  of  pain  and  of  plea- 
sure in  the  mind  of  every  earnest  and  zealous 
Christian. 

During  the  summer  of  1749,  shortly  after  the 
successive  earthquakes  which  shook  London  and 
its  neighborhood,  Doddridge  visited  the  metro- 
polis and  delivered  a  very  searching  discourse 
there,  on  the  '■  Guilt  and  doom  of  Capernaum,' 
founded  on  these  solemn  words  of  our  Saviour 
in  Matthew  xi,  23,  24 :  '  And  thou  Capernaum, 
which  art  exalted  unto  heaven,  shalt  he  brought 
down  to  hell,'  &c.  It  was  the  last  sermon  he 
preached  in  London.  Of  this  remarkable  dis- 
course Dr.  Hamilton,  in  his    Christian   Classics, 

*  As  we  have  already  related,  in  a  separate  publication,  the 
principal  events  in  the  life  of  this  pious  divine  and  warm  per- 
sonal friend  of  Doddridge,  we  omit  any  further  notice  of  him 
in  this  volume.  See  Life  and  Choice  Works  of  Dr.  Watts,  1 
vol.  12mo.,  with  portrait,  published  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  &Co., 
Philadelphia. 


136  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDOE. 

observes,  that  it  is^'  one  of  the  most  solemn  and 
arousing  appeals  which  ever  proceeded  from  a 
pulpit.  "Whilst  preaching  it,  he  said  that  he  was 
conscious  of  an  uncommon  influence  resting  on 
his  spirit,  and  the  impression  produced  was  veiy 
great.  One  of  the  hearers  was  a  gentleman  of 
considerable  property,  Mr.  Benjamin  Forfitt; 
and  on  his  mind  the  effect  of  the  sermon  was, 
that  he  went  and  founded  "  The  Book  Society," 
which,  for  upwards  of  a  century,  has  been  doing 
incalculable  good,  by  the  diffusion  of  religious 
books,  and  which  preceded  the  Tract  Society 
fifty  years.' 

It  was  on  this  occasion,  while  alluding  to  the 
guilt  of  London,  that  Doddridge  exclaimed  in 
tones  peculiarly  solemn  and  impressive :  '  O 
London,  London !  dear  city  of  my  birth  and 
education  —  seat  of  so  many  of  my  friends, — 
seat  of  our  princes  and  senators, —  centre  of  our 
commerce, —  heart  of  our  island,  which  must 
feel  and  languish,  must  tremble,  and,  I  had  al- 
most said,  die  with  thee !  How  art  thou  lifted 
up  to  heaven  I  How  high  do  thy  glories  rise ; 
and  how  bright  do  they  shine  !  How  great  is 
thy  magnificence !  How  extensive  thy  com- 
merce !  How  numerous,  how  free,  how  happy, 
thy  inhabitants  !  How  happy,  above  all,  in  their 
religious  opportunities  !  In  the  uncorrupted  gos- 


mS  PASTORATE  AT  NORTHAMPTON        137 

pel,  so  long,  so  faithfully,  preached  in  thy  syna- 
gogues !  displayed  in  so  many  peculiar  glories, 
which  were  but  beginning  to  dawn  when  Jesus 
himself  dwelt  in  Capernaum,  and  preached  re- 
pentance there !  But  while  we  survey  these 
heights  of  elevation,  must  we  not  tremble,  lest 
thou  shouldst  fall  so  much  the  lower,  lest  thou 
shouldst  plunge  so  much  the  deeper  in  ruin  !' 

In  the  cause  of  revivals  of  religion  and  of 
missionary  enterprises  in  our  own  country,  Dod- 
dridge was  deeply  interested  during  his  pasto- 
rate at  Northampton.  At  this  time  the  Rev. 
Jonathan  Edwards  was  preaching  with  great 
success  at  the  beautiful  town  of  ISTorthampton, 
in  ]!!*[ew  England ;  and  under  his  powerful,  search- 
ing, and  solemn  ministration,  remarkable  revi- 
vals of  religion  took  place  in  that  town  and  its 
vicinity.  Mr.  Edwards  wrote  an  interesting  ac- 
count of  this  happy  state  of  things  in  the  church 
of  E'ew  England,  which  was  published  in  Lon- 
don  in  1736,  under  the  title  of  Narrative  of  Sur- 
prising Conversions,  with  an  introduction  by  Dr. 
Watts  and  Dr.  Guyse.  This  treatise  was  exten- 
sively circulated  through  England  and  Scotland, 
and  was  read  with  great  interest  and  profit  by 
earnest  Christians  in  those  countries.  Ite  peru- 
sal rejoiced  the  heart  of  Doddridge.  In  Octo- 
ber, 1737,  he  writes  to  his  old  friend,  Dr.Clarke: 


138  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

'  I  have  lately  read,  with  an  agreeable  surprise, 
the  Narrative  from  ]N'ew  England,  by  Dr.  Watts.' 
Doddridge  was  especially  interested  in  the 
labors  of  another  of  his  American  cotempora- 
ries,  the  pious  and  devoted  missionary,  David 
Brainerd,  of  whom  he  seems  to  have  been  a 
great  admirer.  And  one  of  the  books  that  he 
greatly  valued  was  the  Life  and  Journal  of  this 
excellent  man.  Brainerd  published  his  Journal 
in  1746 ;  and  after  his  death,  Jonathan  Edwards 
wrote  a  deeply  interesting  account  of  his  life, 
which  includes  his  diary,  and  which  appeared  in 
1749,  in  an  octavo  volume.  It  has  been  well 
remarked  by  one,  that  this  book  is  '  one  of  those 
which  ought  to  be  studied  by  every  minister  of 
the  gospel,  and  every  candidate  for  the  sacred 
office.'  On  one  occasion  (June  2d,  1750),  Dod- 
dridge thus  refers  to  Brainerd's  Journal:  ^ Being 
much  affected  with  many  things  I  have  lately  read 
in  the  Journal  of  that  faithful  and  zealous  ser- 
vant of  Christ,  Mr.  David  Brainerd,  and  observ- 
ing, particularly,  that  he  abounded  much  more 
than  most  men  of  his  day  in  the  duty  of  secret 
fasting  and  prayer,  I  determined  by  the  divine 
assistance,  to  attempt  the  exercise  of  the  former 
long  neglected  duty.'  And  again,  in  a  letter  to 
one  of  his  ministerial  brethren,  in  February, 
1751,  he  says :  '  Let  me  recommend  to  you  the 


ffIS  PASTOR  A  TE  A  T  NOR  THAMPTON.        139 

reading  the  Life  and  Journal  of  Mr.  David  Brai- 
nerd,  if  you  know  where  to  get  it  in  large.'  In 
1748,  Doddridge  himself  wrote  a  Dedication  of 
an  Abridgment  of  Brainerd's  Journal  to  the  Hon- 
orable Society  for  Promoting  Christian  Knowledge  in 
Great  Britain.  It  is  among  the  last  of  his  lite- 
rary performances,  and  is  a  well  deserved  tribute 
to  one  of  the  excellent  of  the  earth.* 

*  A  few  months  ago  the  author  of  this  volume,  while  on  a 
tour  through  New  England,  visited  the  grave  of  Brainerd,  at 
Northampton.  It  was  on  a  beautiful  summer  morning,  when  a 
gentle  breeze  was  stirring  the  green  foliage  of  the  thick  trees 
in  the  cemetery,  that  we  approached  the  hallowed  spot  and 
read  the  inscription  upon  his  tomb 

It  will  be  remembered  that  Brainerd  died  at  Northampton, 
on  the  9th  of  October,  1747,  in  the  thirtieth  year  of  his  age. 
He  breathed  his  last  in  the  house  of  Jonathan  Edwards,  to 
whose  daughter,  Jerusha,  a  very  amiable  and  pious  young  lady 
of  seventeen,  he  was  engaged  to  be  married.  This  young 
lady,  who  constantly  attended  Brainerd  during  his  last  illness, 
survived  him  only  a  few  months.  Her  grave  is  close  by  the 
side  of  Brainerd's,  and  on  the  plain  white  stone  which  marks 
her  resting  place  is  tbis  inscription  :  Jerusha  Edwards,  daugh- 
ter of  Jonathan  and  Sarah  Edwards.  Born  April  26,  1730; 
died  Feb.  14,  1748.  "I  shall  be  satisfied  when  I  awake- in  Thy 
likeness." 

As  we  stood  by  the  grave  of  Brainerd,  recalling  the  princi- 
pal events  of  his  brief  but  useful  life,  we  were  particularly 
impressed  with  the  Christian  triumph  of  his  death.  How 
peaceful,  how  joyful  was  his  departure !  No  clouds  obscure 
the  brightness  of  his  spiritual  vision.  As  he  stands  on  the 
borders  of  the  ocean  of  eternity,  and  looks  above  him  and  be- 


140  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

fore  him,  the  sky  is  clear  and  the  ocean  calm.  He  passes 
away  from  the  scene  of  his  earthly  labors  and  conflicts  with 
these  words  on  his  pale,  quivering  lips;  'Come,  Lord  Jesus! 
come  quickly.  Oh,  why  is  His  chariot  so  long  in  coming  ? 
My  work  is  done ;  oh,  to  be  in  heaven  to  praise  and  glorify 
God  with  His  holy  angels!' 

As  peaceful  and  happy,  we  may  remark,  was  the  departure 
of  Miss  Jerusha  Edwards.  '  She  had  manifested,'  says  her 
father,  '  a  heart  uncommonly  devoted  to  God  in  the  course  of 
her  life,  many  years  before  her  death ;  and  said  on  her  death- 
bed, that  she  had  not  seen  one  minute,  for  several  years,  wherein 
she  desired  to  live  one  minute  longer,  for  the  sake  of  any  other  good 
in  life,  but  doing  good,  living  to  God^  and  doing  what  might  be 
for  His  glory  !' 

An  eminent  American  divine  has  these  beautiful  and  appro- 
priate remarks  respecting  the  grave  of  Brainerd;  'His  mortal 
remains  repose  in  the  burying-place  at  Northampton,  and 
the  spot  is  hallowed  to  the  hearts  of  thousands  by  the  most 
grateful  associations.  The  stranger  who  only  passes  through 
the  town,  is  often  heard  inquiring  the  way  to  "  Brainerd's 
grave;"  and  many  a  Christian,  and  many  a  minister,  whose 
home  is  on  the  other  side  of  the  ocean,  has  stood  over  the 
spot  with  tender  and  sublime  emotions,  and  with  a  mois- 
tened eye.  It  is  within  the  last  few  years  that,  on  some  public 
occasion  at  Northampton,  which  called  together  a  large  num- 
ber of  ministers,  a  clerical  procession  walked  early  in  the 
morning  into  the  grave-yard,  to  visit  this  hallowed  spot,  and,  as 
they  stood  over  it,  they  offered  up  thanksgiving  to  his  God 
and  their  God,  for  having  made  bim  what  he  was,  and  suppli- 
cations that  the  remembrance  of  his  example  might  cheer  them 
onward  in  their  labors,  and  assist  them  to  win  the  immortal 
crown.' — Dr.  Sprague,  in  his  Annals  of  the  American  Pulpit. 


CHAPTER    Y. 


HIS     LAST     DAYS. 


'fl^  the  midst  of  his  excessive  labors  as 
pastor,  tutor,  and  author,  Doddridge 
was  seized  with  the  disease  which,  in 
less  than  a  year,  terminated  his  useful 
life.  Early  in  the  winter  of  1750,  as  he 
was  going  to  preach  the  funeral  sermon  of  his 
early  friend  and  patron,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Samuel 
Clarke,  he  caught  a  cold  which  troubled  him  the 
remainder  of  the  winter,  and  finally  terminated 
in  consumption.  On  the  approach  of  spring  he 
recovered  considerably,  but  relapsed  again  in 
the  summer.  His  end  now  rapidly  approached ; 
and  as  he  drew  nigh  the  grave,  and  stood  on  the 
borders  of  life,  he  appeared,  as  it  were,  to  smile 
at  death.  His  spirit  now  soared  on  the  wings 
of  pious  contemplation,  and  was  more  and  more 
cheered  with  the  hope  of  future  bliss.  The  light 
of  the  divine  countenance  seemed  to  beam  glo- 


142  ^^FE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

riously  upon  his  soul ;  gladness  was  put  in  Ms 
heart;  and  that  joy  which  the  world  can  neither 
give  nor  take  away,  caused  him  to  desire  still 
more  ardently  the  full  enjoyment  of  heaven's 
untold  happiness.  And  as  he  turns  his  steadfast 
eye  of  faith  heyond  the  dark  cold  grave,  and 

'  Surveys  the  brightening  regions  of  the  blest,' 

he  seems  to  possess,  in  a  spiritual  sense, 

*  What  nothing  earthly  gives,  or  can  destroy, 
The  soul's  calm  sunshine,  and  the  heartfelt  joy.' 

In  the  near  prospect  of  death,  he  could  say,  at 
this  time,  in  the  sublime  language  of  Christian 
triumph :  '  I  bless  God,  earth  is  less  and  less  to 
me ;  and  I  shall  be  very  glad  to  have  done  with 
it  once  for  all,  as  soon  as  it  shall  please  my  Mas- 
ter to  give  me  leave.  Yet  for  Him  I  would  live 
and  labor;  and  I  hope,  if  such  were  His  will,  suf- 
fer too.'  'I  thank  God,  that  I  do  indeed  feel 
my  affection  to  this  vanishing  world  dying  and 
vanishing  every  day.  I  have  long  since  weighed 
it  in  the  balances  diudi  found  it  wanting;  and  my  heart 
and  hopes  are  above.' 

On  the  2d  of  June,  1751,  Doddridge  adminis- 
tered the  Lord's  Supper  for  the  last  time  to  his 
congregation  at  ISTorthampton.  It  was  a  very 
solemn  and  affecting  occasion.  He  preached 
from  Hebrews  xii,  23 :  'Ye  are  come — to  the  general 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  143 

assembly,  and  Church  of  the  first  horn,  which  are 
written  in  heaven,'  &c.;  and  very  felicitously  and 
beautifully  did  he  expatiate  on  that  glorious  and 
innumerable  assembly  of  all  nations,  and  kindreds, 
and  people  and  tongues,  which  shall  meet  together 
in  that  world  where  sorrow  and  sighing  shall  flee 
away,  and  where  songs  of  joy  and  gratitude  shall 
unceasingly  be  ascribed  to  Him  that  hath  loved  us, 
and  washed  us  from  our  sins  in  His  own  blood.  In 
addressing  his  people,  at  the  conclusion  of  this 
sacramental  service,  the  saintly  pastor  touch- 
ingly  alluded  to  his  own  departure,  and  tenderly 
and  pathetically  spoke  of  their  final  separation. 
His  last  sermon  at  I^orthampton  was  delivered 
on  the  14th  of  July,  from  that  cheering  text : 
'  Whether  we  live,  therefore,  or  die,  we  are  the 
Lord's:'  Rom.  xiv,  8. 

After  engaging  in  his  last  public  service  at  the 
ordination  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Adams,  at  Brewdly, 
on  the  18th  of  July,  he  visited  Shrewsbury,  and 
spent  several  weeks  at  the  house  of  his  friend 
and  former  pupil,  the  Rev.  Job  Orton.  During 
his  continuance  with  Mr.  Orton,  in  the  hope  of 
deriving  benefit  from  a  change  of  air  and  relaxa- 
tion of  naind,  he  was  favored  with  many  letters 
from  his  friends,  couched  in  terms  expressive  of 
their  sincere  affection  and  deep  concern  for  his  re- 
covery.    Of  these  letters  of  sympathy  it  has  been 


144  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

well  remarked,  that  they  '  are  among  the  most 
touching  to  be  found  in  the  annals  of  friendship.' 
Among  others,  he  received  from  the  Rev.  John 
Barker,*  a  dissenting  clergyman,  that  'wonder- 
fully impassioned  letter,  which  surely  no  one 

*  John  Barker  was  born  about  the  year  1G82.  Very  little  is 
known  of  the  circumstances  of  his  younger  years,  except  that 
he  finished  his  academical  education  in  Yorkshire,  and  was 
ordained  a  minister  in  London.  In  1709,  when  about  the 
twenty-sixth  year  of  his  age,  he  was  chosen  assistant  to  the 
Rev.  Dr.  Grosvenor,  of  London,  an  eloquent  divine,  well 
known  as  the  author  of  The  Mourner  Relieved,  etc.  On  the 
death  of  Matthew  Henry,  the  commentator,  in  the  summer  of 
1714,  Mr.  Barker  became  his  successor  in  th.e  pastoral  care  of 
the  church  at  Hackney,  where  he  labored  several  years  with 
great  acceptance  and  usefulness.  In  1741,  he  became  minis- 
ter at  Salter's  Hall,  in  London,  '  long  esteemed  one  of  the 
most  celebrated  places  of  worship  among  the  dissenters.'  He 
died  on  the  31st  of  May,  1762,  at  the  age  of  eighty.  He  was 
one  of  the  most  eloquent  preachers  of  his  times.  On  account 
of  his  fascinating  delivery,  he  was  commonly  called  the  '  silver 
tongued  Barker.'  He  was  a  man  of  considerable  learning, 
and  of  very  ardent  piety.  According  to  Mr.  Walter  Wilson, 
his  two  volumes  of  sermons  '  are  composed  in  a  natural  and 
easy  style ;  the  subjects  are  of  a  practical  nature,  and  treated 
in  a  manner  highly  judicious  and  evangelical.' 

Mr.  Barker  was  a  very  intimate  friend  of  Dr.  Doddridge, 
and  corresponded  frequently  with  him.  Of  his  last  letter  to 
Doddridge,  Mr.  Wilson  says,  that  it  '  abounds  above  all  with 
expressions  of  the  sublimest  friendship,  resignation,  and  piety, 
and  is,  perhaps,  one  of  the  most  striking  pieces  of  eloquence, 
of  the  kind,  ever  penned.'  For  an  interesting  account  of  Mr 
Barker,  see  Wilson's  History  of  Dissenting  Churches, 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  145 

can  read  without  mingling  his  tears  with  those 
in  which  Doddridge  bathed  it  as  he  read  the 
burning  lines.'  How  exquisitely  tender  and  pa- 
thetic are  the  words  we  quote  from  this  remarka- 
ble letter  —  the  last  one  that  Mr.  Barker  ever 
wrote  to  Doddridge :  '  Consent  and  choose  to 
stay  with  us  a  while  longer,  my  dear  friend,  if  it 
please  God.  This  is  not  only  needful  to  l^orth- 
ampton,  and  its  adjacent  towns  and  villages,  but 
desirable  to  us  all,  and  beneficial  to  our  whole 
interest.  Stay,  Doddridge  I  oh,  stay,  and  strength- 
en our  hands,  whose  shadows  grow  long.  Fifty 
is  but  the  height  of  vigor,  usefulness  and  honor. 
Do  not  take  leave  abruptly.  Providence  hath  not 
yet  directed  thee  on  whom  to  drop  thy  mantle. 
Who  shall  instruct  our  youth,  fill  our  vacant 
churches,  animate  our  associations,  and  diffuse 
a  spirit  of  piety,  moderation,  candor,  and  charity, 
through  our  villages  and  churches,  and  a  spirit 
of  prayer  and  supplication  into  our  towns  and 
cities,  when  thou  art  removed  from  us  ?  Espe- 
cially, who  shall  unfold  the  sacred  oracles,  teach 
us  the  meaning  and  use  of  our  Bibles,  rescue  us 
from  the  bondage  of  systems,  party  opinions, 
empty,  useless  speculations,  and  fashionable 
forms  and  phrases,  and  point  out  the  simple,  in- 
telligible, consistent,  religion  of  our  Lord  and 
Saviour?  Who  shall  —  but  I  am  silenced  by 
13 


146  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

the  voice  of  Him  wlio  says,  ''  Shall  I  not  do 
what  I  will  with  my  own  ?  Is  it  not  my  pre- 
rogative to  take  and  leave,  as  seemeth  me  good  ? 
I  demand  the  liberty  of  disposing  of  my  own 
servants  at  my  own  pleasure.  He  hath  labored 
more  abundantly.  His  times  are  in  my  hand. 
He  hath  not  slept  as  do  others.  He  hath  risen 
to  nobler  heights  than  things  below.  He  hopes 
to  inherit  glory.  He  hath  labored  for  that  which 
endureth  to  eternal  life  —  labor  which,  the  more 
it  abounds,  the  more  it  exalts  and  magnifies, 
and  the  more  effectually  answers  and  secures  its 
end.  It  is  yours  to  wait  and  trust,  mine  to  dis- 
pose and  govern.  On  me  be  the  care  of  minis- 
ters and  churches.  With  me  is  the  residue  of 
the  Spirit.  Both  the  vineyard  and  the  laborers 
are  mine.  I  set  them  to  work,  and,  when  I 
please,  I  call  them  and  give  them  their  hire." 
With  these  thoughts  my  passions  subside ;  my 
mind  is  softened  and  satisfied.  I  resign  thee, 
myself,  and  all,  to  God,  saying,  "  Thy  will  be 
done."  '  Doddridge  was  so  deeply  affected  with 
the  sentiments  of  friendship  and  consolation, 
expressed  in  this  letter,  that  Mr.  Orton  feared 
'  his  tender  frame  would  have  sunk  under  it.' 

Following  the  advice    of  his  physicians,  he 
visited  Bristol  in  the  month  of  August,  and  used 


HIS  LAST  DAYS,  147 

its  waters,  but  without  any  beneficial  effect.* 
While  here  he  received  many  expressions  of 
sympathy,  and  the  kindest  treatment  from 
friends.  But  as  his  '  outward  man '  was  gradu- 
ally becoming  more  feeble,  his  '  inward  man ' 
was  daily  renewed.  His  mind  was  filled  with 
the  peace  of  God,  which  passeth  all  understand- 
ing, and  was  even  joyful  amidst  all  the  physical 
sufferings  he  endured.  In  this  happy  frame  he 
wrote  to  one :  '  I  see  indeed  no  hope  of  my  re- 
covery ;  yet  my  heart  rejoiceth  in  my  God  and 
my  Saviour,  and  I  call  Him  under  this  failure  of 
everything  else,  its  strength  and  everlasting  por- 
tion. God  hath  indeed  been  wonderfully  good 
to  me,  but  I  am  less  than  the  least  of  His  mer- 
cies, less  than  the  least  hope  of  His  children. 
Adored  be  His  grace  for  whatever  it  hath  wrought 
by  me !' 

Doddridge  was  now  in  a  deep-seated  consump- 
tion ;  and  his  pale  countenance,  his  emaciated 
frame,  his  hectic  fever,  his  continued  cough,  and 
his  hoarse  voice  were  sad  premonitions  of  his 
approaching  end.     But  in  the  midst  of  his  dis- 

*  '  Though  I  am  greatly  better  within  these  six  days,  my 
cough  and  hoarseness  are  such  that  it  is  judged  advisable  that 
we  should  try  Bristol,  which  has,  sometimes,  been  wonder- 
fully serviceable  in  such  cases.' —  Doddridge,  in  a  letter  to  his 
daughter,  dated  Aug.  12,  1751. 


148  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

tressing  symptoms  he  talked  very  sweetly  of  liia 
confidence  in  Him  wlio  smooths  the  dying  pil- 
low, and  lights  up  the  dark  valley  with  the 
beams  of  His  glorious  love.  '  My  soul  is  vigor- 
ous and  healthy,  notwithstanding  the  hastening 
decay  of  this  frail  and  tottering  body.  It  is  not 
for  the  love  of  sunshine,  or  the  variety  of  meats, 
that  I  desire  life ;  but,  if  it  please  God,  that  I 
may  render  him  a  little  more  service.  It  is  a 
blessed  thing  to  live  above  the  fear  of  death,  and 
I  praise  God  I  fear  it  not.*  The  means  I  am 
about  pursuing  to  save  life,  so  far  as  I  am  solely 
concerned,  are,  to  my  apprehension,  worse  than 
death.  My  profuse  night-sweats  are  very  weak- 
ening to  my  emaciated  frame ;  but  the  most  dis- 
tressing nights  to  this  frail  body  have  been  as 
the  beginning  of  heaven  to  my  soul.  God  hath,  as 
it  were,  let  heaven  down  upon  me  in  those  nights 
of  weakness  and  waking.  I  am  not  suffered  once 
to  lose  my  hope.  My  confidence  is,  not  that  I 
have  lived  such  or  such  a  life,  or  served  God  in 
this  or  the  other  manner.  I  know  of  no  prayer 
I  ever  offered,  no  service  I  ever  performed,  but 
there  has  been  such  a  mixture  of  what  was 
wrong  in  it,  that,  instead  of  recommending  me 

*  If  Christ  is  our  foundation,  we  have  nothing  to  fear,  even 
in  the  swellings  of  Jordan,  for  death  itself  cannot  separate  us 
from  the  love  of  Christ. —  Burder. 


Ills  LAST  DAYS.  149 

to  the  favor  of  God,  I  needed  His  pai^don,  through 
Christ,  for  the  same.  Yet  He  hath  enahled  me 
in  sincerity  to  serve  Him.  Popular  applause  was 
not  the  thing  I  sought.  If  I  might  be  honored 
to  do  good,  and  my  Heavenly  Father  might  see 
His  poor  child  attempting,  though  feebly  and 
imperfectly,  to  serve  Him  and  meet  with  His 
approving  eye  and  commending  sentence.  Well 
done.,  good  and  faithful  servant^ —  this  my  soul  re- 
garded, and  was  most  solicitous  for.  I  have  no 
hope  in  what  I  have  been  or  done.  Yet  I  am 
full  of  confidence,  and  this  is  my  confidence : 
there  is  a  hope  set  before  me;  I  have  fied,  I  still 
fl}/  for  refuge  to  that  hope.  In  Him  I  trust ;  in 
Him  I  have  strong  consolation,  and  shall  assuredly 
be  accepted  in  this  Beloved  of  my  soul.  The  spirit 
of  adoption  is  given  me,  enabling  me  to  cry  Abba 
Father.  I  have  no  doubt  of  my  being  a  child  of 
God,  and  that  life  and  death,  and  all  my  present 
exercises,  are  directed  in  mercy  by  my  adored 
Heavenly  Father.' 

How  tranquil,  bright,  and  unfaltering  the 
Christian's  hope !  How  its  voice,  like  sweetest 
music,  soothes  and  cheers  our  spirits  amidst  the 
darkness  and  the  conflicts  of  life  !  How  it  re- 
joices us  as  we  look  beyond  this  present  state 
of  existence  and  ^x  our  eyes  on  the  glories  of 
our  heavenly  home  !    In  the  language  of  Dod- 


150  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

dridge's  favorite  author,  Archbishop  Leigh  ton, 
'  This  is  the  anchor  fixed  within  the  veil,  which 
keeps  the  soul  firm  against  all  the  tossings  on 
these  swelling  seas,  and  the  winds  and  tempests 
that  arise  upon  them.  The  firmest  thing  in  this 
inferior  world  is  a  believing  soul.' 

Hope,  with  uplifted  foot,  set  free  from  earth, 
Pants  for  the  place  of  her  ethereal  birth  ; 
On  steady  wings,  sails  through  the  immense  abyss. 
Plucks  amaranthine  joys  from  bowers  of  bliss, 
And  crowns  the  soul,  while  yet  a  mourner  here, 
With  wreaths  like  those  triumphant  spirits  wear. 
Hope,  as  an  anchor,  firm  and  sure,  holds  fast 
The  Christian  vessel,  and  defies  the  blast. 

COWPER. 

During  Doddridge's  stay  at  Bristol,  the  deep- 
est solicitude  was  felt  for  him  by  his  numerous 
friends.  He  was  visited  by  the  principal  persons 
of  his  congregation;  and  many  sympathizing 
and  consolatory  letters  were  addressed  to  him, 
by  warm  friends,  in  various  parts  of  the  country. 
Dr.  Warburton  writes :  '  Death,  whenever  it  hap- 
pens, in  a  life  spent  like  yours,  is  to  be  envied, 
not  pitied ;  and  you  will  have  the  prayers  of 
your  friends,  as  conquerors  have  the  shouts  of 
the  crowd.  Grod  preserve  you  ;  if  He  continues 
you  here  to  go  on  in  His  service ;  if  He  takes  you 
to  Himself,  to  be  crowned  with  glory.' 

But  one  of  the  most  beautiful  and  consolatory 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  151 

letters  lie  received  at  this  time,  was  from  Mr. 
Williams,  of  Kidderminster,*  wlio  says :  '  I  dare 
to  congratulate  you,  dear  saint,  that  having 
fought  a  good  fight,  you  are  so  near  the  end  of 
your  course,  and  will  quickly  receive  a  glorious 
crown.  I  rejoice  that  your  evening  sun  has  no 
cloud!  God  is  faithful !  Those  who  know  His 
name  will  put  their  trust  in  Him.  Jesus,  our 
Almighty  Friend,  is  full  of  compassion ;  is  af- 
flicted in  all  your  affliction ;  and  will  not  fail  to 
succor  you  in  the  darkest  hour.  Human  nature, 
perhaps,  cannot  be  quite  fearless  of  approaching 
dissolution ;  but  faith  will  obtain  the  victory,  f 
God  sees  fit  to  hold  His  dear  children  in  a  state 
of  dependence  to  the  last ;  but  the  grace  of  our 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  is  sufficient  for  you,  and  will 
be  ever  near.  You  have  had  many  a  Pisgah  view ; 
and  if  it  be  best,  you  shall  have  another  —  a 
clearer  than  ever  yet  —  before  you  pass  Jordan. 
And  doubt  not,  my  dear  sir,  that  He  who  cut 
oif  the  waters  from  before  the  ark,  and  caused 

*  The  Diary  of  this  excellent  man,  one  of  the  most  benevo- 
lent and  devout  of  Doddridge's  correspondents,  was  first  pub- 
lished by  the  Rev.  Benjamin  Fawcett.  It  has  since  been  re- 
edited,  with  additional  matter,  selected  from  h\B  Meditations, 
by  Mr.  Williams'  great  grandson,  Benjamin  Hanbury, 

f  '  Faith  lifts  the  soul  up  to  the  firm  advanced  ground  of 
the  promises,  and  fastens  it  there ;  and  there  it  is  sure,  even 
as  Mount  Zion,  that  cannot  be  removed.' — Leighton. 


152  TAPE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

His  cliosen  people  to  pass  dry  sliod  into  Canaan, 
can  do  as  mucli  for  you.' 

Advised  as  tlie  last  resort  to  spend  the  winter 
in  tlie  warmer  climate  of  Portugal,  lie  accord- 
ingly started  from  Bristol  on  the  17th  of  Sep- 
tember to  embark  at  Falmouth  for  Lisbon.  On 
the  morning  of  his  departure  for  Falmouth,  Lady 
Huntington*  visited  him,  and,  on  entering  his 
room,  found  him  '  w^eeping  over  the  open  Bible 
lying  before  him.' 

'  You  are  in  tears,  sir,'  she  said. 

'lam  weeping,  madam,'  he  replied,  with  a 
cheerful,  confiding  look,  '  but  they  are  tears  of 
joy  and  comfort.  I  can  give  up  my  country,  my 
Mends,  my  relatives,  into  the  hand  of  God ;  and 

*  This  remarkably  zealous  and  pious  lady,  whose  name  is 
*  inseparably  identified  with  the  revival  of  religion '  in  Eng- 
land, was  born  in  1707  ;  and  died  in  1791,  at  the  advanced  ago 
of  eighty-four.  She  devoted  a  large  portion  of  her  property 
to  the  cause  of  religion,  particularly  in  the  promotion  of  evan- 
gelical missions.  At  the  close  of  her  long  and  useful  life  she 
said :  '  My  work  is  done  ;  /  have  nothing  to  do  hut  to  go  to  my  Fa- 
ther J*  '  My  soul  is  filled  with  glory;  I  am  in  the  element  of  heaven.^ 
Respecting  this  remarkable  woman  Doddridge  thus  writes  in 
1750 :  *  I  think  I  never  saw  so  much  of  the  image  of  God  in 
any  woman  upon  earth.' 

Lady  Huntington  was  a  particular  friend  of  Watts,  Dod- 
dridge, Col.  Gardiner,  Whitefield,  Romaine,  Venn,  Berridge, 
and  Rowland  Hill. 


HIS  LAST  DA  YS.  153 

as  to  myself,  I  can  as  well  go  to  heaven  from 
Lisbon,  as  from  my  own  study  at^N'orthampton.' 

After  a  fatiguing  journey  of  ten  days  he 
reached  Falmouth,  where  he  was  hospitably 
entertained  by  Dr.  Turner,  a  clergyman  of  the 
church  of  England. 

A  few  days  before  setting  out  on  his  voyage 
for  Lisbon,  he  spent  a  night  at  Wellington,  at 
the  house  of  his  esteemed  pupil,  Mr.  Darracott, 
who  had  now  acquired  great  and  deserved  dis- 
tinction as  a  zealous  and  faithful  minister  of  the 
gospel.  On  the  morning  when  he  took  what 
proved  to  be  a  final  leave  of  Mr.  Darracott,  he 
told  him  that  his  joys  were  now  too  much  for 
his  enfeebled  body  to  sustain. 

The  night  before  he  embarked  for  Lisbon  vio- 
lent symptoms  returned,  alarming  Mrs.  Dod- 
dridge, and  constraining  her  to  propose  that  he 
should  return  home,  or  remain  longer  at  Fal- 
mouth. '  The  die  is  cast,  and  I  choose  to  go,' 
was  his  answer. 

The  following  lines,  among  the  last  he  ever 
penned,  were  dispatched  to  a  friend,  from  Fal- 
mouth: 'I  am,  upon  the  whole,  better  than 
could  be  expected  after  such  a  journey.  Let  us 
thank  God  and  take  courage.  We  may  yet  know 
many  cheerful  days.  We  shall  at  least  know 
(why  do  I  say  at  least),  one  joyful  one,  which 


154  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

shall  be  eternaV — ^  I  have  trespassed  a  great  deal 
on  your  time,  and  a  little  on  my  own  strength. 
I  say  a  little,  for  when  writing  to  such  a  friend, 
as  I  seem  less  absent  from  him,  it  soothes  my 
mind  agreeably.  Oh !  when  shall  we  meet  in 
that  world  where  we  shall  have  nothing  to  la- 
ment, and  nothing  to  fem'  for  ourselves,  or  each 
other,  or  any  dear  to  us  !*  Let  us  think  of  this 
as  a  momentary  state,  and  aspire  more  ardently 
after  the  blessings  of  that.  If  I  survive  my  voy- 
age, a  line  shall  tell  you  how  I  bear  it.  If  not, 
all  will  be  well ;  and,  as  good  Mr.  Howe  says,  I 
hope  I  shall  embrace  the  wave,  that,  when  I  in- 

*  With  what  eloquence  does  Robert  Hall  speak  of  the  re- 
union of  good  men  in  a  future  state  !  *  How  should  we  rejoice,' 
he  says,  'in  the  prospect  —  the  certainty,  rather,  of  spending 
a  blissful  eternity  with  those  whom  we  loved  on  earth ;  of  see- 
ing them  emerge  from  the  ruins  of  the  tomb,  and  the  deeper 
ruins  of  the  fall,  not  only  uninjured,  but  refined  and  per- 
fected, "with  every  tear  wiped  from  their  eyes,"  standing  be- 
fore the  throne  of  God  and  the  Lamb,  "  in  white  robes,  and 
palms  in  their  hands,  crying  with  a  loud  voice,  Salvation  to 
God  that  sitteth  upon  the  throne  and  to  the  Lamb  forever  and 
ever."  What  delight  will  it  afi"ord  to  renew  the  sweet  counsel 
we  have  taken  together,  to  recount  the  toils  of  combat,  and 
the  labor  of  the  way,  and  to  approach,  not  the  house,  but  the 
throne  of  God,  in  company,  in  order  to  join  in  the  symphonies 
of  heavenly  voices,  and  lose  ourselves  amidst  the  splendors 
and  fruitions  of  the  beatific  vision.' — Funeral  Sermon  for  Dr. 
Ryland. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  155 

tended  Lisbon,  should  land  me  in  heaven  !*  I 
am  more  afraid  of  doing  what  is  wrong  than  of 
dying.' 

A  few  days  before  leaving  his  native  land,  his 
excellent  friend,  ITathaniel  l!Teal,  Esq,,  wrote  to 
him  in  the  following  happy  strain  :  '  You  go 
with  a  full  gale  of  prayer,  and,  I  trust,  we  shall 
stand  ready  on  the  shore  to  receive  you  back 
with  shouts  of  praise.'  After  expressing  his 
sympathy  for  Mrs.  Doddridge,  ^.nd  alluding  to 
her  interest  in  God,  '  whose  arms  are  everlast- 
ing, whose  presence  is  universal,  and  whose 
compassions  never  fail,'  Mr.  ]^eal  exclaims,  in 
the  same  letter,  '  Oh,  sir,  the  time  is  hastening 

*  When  the  saintly  John  Howe  was  about  to  sail  from  Ireland 
to  Liverpool  he  composed  some  pious  reflections  under  the  title 
of  '  Considerations  and  Communings  with  myself  concerning  my 
present  journey,  December  20,  1675,  by  night,  on  my  bed.'  In 
allusion  to  the  danger  of  being  lost  at  sea  in  his  contemplated 
Toyage,  he  has  the  following  striking  remarks,  to  the  last 
beautiful  sentence  of  which,  Doddridge,  in  his  letter  above 
quoted,  particularly  refers :  '  It  is  pleasant  to  me  hereupon  to 
think  of  going  into  eternity  ;  of  laying  down  tlie  body  of  flesh, 
and  sin,  and  death,  together  ;  and  of  being  perfectly  holy,  and 
associated  with  them  that  are  so,  in  holy  work  and  enjoyment. 

*  To  put  off  this  tabernacle  so  easily,  I  reckon  would  to  me 
be  a  merciful  dispensation,  who  am  more  afraid  of  sharp  pains 
than  of  death.  I  think  I  should  joyfully  embrace  those  waves 
that  should  cast  me  on  an  undesigned  shore,  and,  when  I  in- 
tended Liverpool,  should  land  me  in  heaven.' 


156  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

when  these  ways  of  His,  which,  are  now  so  un- 
searchable, shall  appear  to  have  been  marked 
out  by  the  counsels  of  infinite  wisdom  ;  and  we, 
who  may  be  left  longest  to  lean  upon,  and  sup- 
port one  another  by  turns,  in  this  weary  land, 
shall  fix  our  feet  on  those  everlasting  hills,  where 
our  joys  shall  never  leave,  nor  our  vigor  ever 
fail  us  !  There,  my  dear  friend,  may  we  be  one, 
in  that  union  which  cannot  be  dissolved !  In 
this  blessed  hope  I  am  affectionately  yours.'* 

On  Monday  morning,  the  30th  of  September, 
1751,  Doddridge  left  England,  never  to  return. 
He  sailed  from  Falmouth  in  a  vessel  bound  for 
Lisbon.  During  the  voyage  his  languid  frame 
was  revived  by  the  soft  air  and  balmy  breezes 

*  Nathaniel  Neal,  whose  name  has  been  mentioned  in  a  for- 
mer page,  was  a  son  of  Daniel  Neal,  author  of  The  History  of  the 
Puritans;  and  a  nephew  of  the  celebrated  Dr.  Lardner,  author 
of  Credibility  of  the  Gospel  History,  etc.  He  was  an  attorney 
of  considerable  talents,  of  fine  literary  tastes,  and  of  sincere 
piety.  *I  never  think  of  his  character,'  said  one  of  hiscotem- 
poraries,  '  without  the  highest  veneration  and  esteem,  as  few 
ever  possessed  more  eminently  the  virtues  of  the  heart,  united 
with  a  very  superior  understanding  and  judgment.'  He  is  the 
author  of  an  excellent,  but  now  very  rare,  pamphlet  entitled, 
A  Free  and  Serious  Remonstrance  to  Dissenting  Ministers,  on  Oc- 
casion of  the  Decay  of  Religion.  While  secretary  of  the  Million 
Bank,  in  London,  he  wrote  a  number  of  excellent  letters  to 
Doddridge,  towards  whom  he  manifested  the  warmest  friend- 
ship. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  157 

of  the  sea ;  and  bis  soul  was  still  more  invigo- 
rated by  the  many  delightful  views  of  celestial 
glory  with  which  he  was  favored.  He  now  felt 
the  power  of  those  sacred  consolations  which  he 
had  so  often  administered  to  others.  One  morn- 
ing, while  sitting  in  an  easy  chair  in  the  cabin, 
he  whispered  to  the  tender  partner  of  his  voy- 
age, '  I  cannot  express  to  you  what  a  morning  I 
have  had.     Such  delightful  and  transporting 

VIEWS  OF  THE  HEAVENLY  WORLD  IS  MY  FaTHER 
NOW  INDULGING  ME  WITH,  AS  NO  WORDS  CAN  EX- 
PRESS.'* While  giving  utterance  to  such  lan- 
guage, his  countenance  was  so  expressive  of 
sacred  joy,  and  gratitude,  that  Mrs.  Doddridge 
was  forcibly  reminded  of  those  lines  of  his  own 
beautiful  hymn, 

*When  death  o'er  nature  shall  prevail, 
And  all  its  powers  of  language  fail, 
Joy  through  my  swimming  eyes  shall  break, 
And  mean  the  thanks  I  cannot  speak.' 

"What  a  soul-entrancing  view  had  Doddridge 
now  of  the  better  land !     With  what  delight  did 

*  How  similar  was  the  experience  of  that  holy  man  of  other 
days,  the  Rev.  Samuel  Rutherfobd,  one  of  Scotland's  wor 
thies  !  Hear  his  transporting  language  :  '  I  am  filled  with  joy 
and  with  the  comforts  of  God.  Sweet,  sweet  have  His  comforts 
been  to  my  soul.  My  pen,  tongue,  and  heart  have  not  words 
to  express  the  kindness,  love,  and  mercy  of  my  Well-Beloved 
to  me,  in  this  house  of  my  pilgrimage.' 

14 


158  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

his  eye  of  faith  gaze  on  that  city  whose  streets 
are  paved  with  gold,  whose  walls  are  of  jasper, 
and  whose  light  is  the  glory  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb  !  How  sweet  and  transporting  now  were 
his  thoughts  of  yon  holy  city,  the  new  Jerusa- 
lem ;  ■  its  glorified  inhabitants  ;  its  unceasing 
melody ;  its  unending  joys ;  its  holy  employ- 
ments;  its  sacred  rest;  its  unfading  beauty;  its 
fruitful  tree  of  life  ;  its  crystal  stream  of  living 
water,  '  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God  and 
of  the  Lamb!'  But  how  was  his  *  whole  soul 
dilated  in  gratitude,  love,  and  praise,'  as  he 
thought  of  the  Redeemer  in  His  glorified  hu- 
manity, standing  as  a  Lamb  '  on  the  Mount 
Zion  '  with  all  His  ransomed  saints,  feeding 
them,  leading  them  unto  living  fountains  of 
waters,  and  wiping  away  all  tears  from  their 
eyes  !  Doddridge's  enjoyments  were  now  the 
highest  that  a  Christian  has  on  earth ;  the  sub- 
limest  musings  of  a  sanctified  soul,  filled  with, 
love  to  God,  and  ready  to  depart  and  dwell  with 
Jesus  in  the  mansions  of  glory.  He  was  now 
like  Bunyan's  pilgrim  —  'drawing  near  to  the 
city,  he  had  yet  a  more  perfect  view  thereof.' 
It  was,  perhaps,  at  this  very  time  that  his  eye 
of  faith  caught  the  brightest  glimpse  that  he 
ever  enjoyed  on  earth,  of  those  glories  of  which 
Bunyan  speaks,  in  this  exquisite  passage : 


HIS  LAST  DAYS. 

^ITow,  just  as  the  gates  were  o] 
the  men,  I  looked  in  after  them,  and 
city  shone  like  the  sun ;  the  streets  also  were 
paved  with  gold,  and  in  them  walked  the  many, 
with  crowns  on  their  heads,  palms  in  their  hands, 
and  golden  harps,  to  sing  praises  withal.  There 
were,  also,  them  that  had  wings,  and  they  ans- 
wered one  another  without  intermission,  saying, 
"Holy,  holy,  holy,  is  the  Lord."  And,  after 
that,  they  shut  up  the  gates ;  which,  when  I  had 
seen,  I  wished  myself  among  them.'* 

In  some  hour  of  solemn  jubilee, 
The  massy  gates  of  Paradise  are  thrown 
Wide  open,  and  forth  come,  in  fragments  wild, 
Sweet  echoes  of  unearthly  melodies. 
And  odors  snatched  from  beds  of  amaranth. 
And  they  that  from  the  crystal  river  of  life 
Sprung  up  on  freshened  wing,  ambrosial  gales  ! 
The  favored  good  man  in  his  lonely  walk 
Perceives  them,  and  his  silent  spirit  drinks 
Strange  bliss,  which  he  shall  recognize  in  heaven. 

Coleridge. 

*  *  How  often  have  I  begged  of  my  God,  that  it  would  please 
Him  to  show  me  some  little  glimpse  of  the  glory  of  His  saints ! 
*  *  *  My  ambition  only  is,  that  I  might,  if  but  as  it 
were  through  some  cranny  or  key-hole  of  the  gate  of  heaven, 
see  the  happy  condition  of  His  glorious  servants.' — Bishop 
Hall. 


160  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

In  the  bay  of  Biscay  tlie  vessel  v-as  detained 
by  a  calm  for  several  days.  It  was  now  very 
warm  ;  and  Doddridge  suffered  from  prostration 
by  the  heat ;  but,  as  the  weather  changed  and 
the  vessel  was  again  borne  along  by  a  gentle 
breeze,  he  was  considerably  revived.  Passing 
along  the  coasts  of  Portugal,  the  vessel  reached 
the  mouth  of  the  calm  and  majestic  river  Tagus. 
And  now  on  the  deck,  breathing  the  fresh  and 
balmy  air  in  a  bright  autumnal  day,  as  the  vessel 
gently  sails  up  the  Tagus,  he  gazed  with  de- 
light —  for  Doddridge  was  ever  a  lover  of  the 
beauties  of  nature  —  upon  the  bold  and  romantic 
banks  of  that  noble  river,  adorned  with  olive- 
yards,  orange  groves,  and  vineyards,  filling  the 
air  with  delicate  fragrance.  Far  in  the  distance 
he  saw  the  city  of  Lisbon,  '  with  its  groves,  and 
gardens,  and  sunny  towers,'  extending  '  two 
miles  along  the  shore,  occupying  several  hills, 
with  the  intervening  valleys.'  The  sight  he 
described  as  magnificent.  After  a  favorable 
voyage  the  vessel  arrived  at  Lisbon,  on  the  Sab- 
bath, October  13,  1751.  On  the  following  day 
he  wrote  a  brief  letter  to  his  assistant  at  E^orth- 
ampton,  in  which  he  gave  an  interesting  account 
of  his  voyage,  and  of  the  critical  condition  of 
his  health.     He  seems  to  have  been  especially 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.         ^  161 

delighted  with  the  very  beautiful  and  striking 
appearance  of  Lisbon  from  the  ocean.*  Regard- 
ing the  state  of  his  mind,  and  especially  his  re- 
signation to  the  will  of  Providence,  he  says,  in 
the  letter  just  mentioned :  '  I  bless  God  the  most 
undisturbed  serenity  continues  in  my  mind,  and 

*  T.  N.  Talfourd,  in  a  spiritedly  written  article  on  '  Recollec- 
tions of  Lisbon,'  in  the  New  Monthly  Magazine,  has  given  us  an 
interesting  account  of  his  own  voyage  to  Lisbon,  in  1818.  His 
description  of  his  voyage  up  the  Tagus,  and  of  the  appearance 
of  Lisbon,  is  particularly  beautiful.  We  have  room  here  for 
only  a  brief  extract :  '  A  pleasant  breeze  brought  us  soon  to 
the  mouth  of  the  Tagus,  where  a  scene  of  enchantment,  "  too 
bright  and  fair  almost  for  remembrance,"  burst  upon  my  view. 
We  sailed  between  the  two  fortresses  which  guard  the  entrance 
of  the  river,  here  several  miles  in  width,  close  to  the  walls  of 
that  on  the  left,  denominated  "Fort  St.  Julian."  The  river, 
seen  up  to  the  beautiful  castle  of  Belem,  lay  before  us,  not 
serpentine  nor  perceptibly  contracting,  but  between  almost 
parallel  shores,  like  a  noble  avenue  of  crystal.  It  was  studded 
with  vessels  of  every  region,  as  the  sky  is  sprinkled  with  stars, 
which  rested  on  a  bosom  of  waters  so  calm  as  scarcely  to  be 
curled  by  the  air  which  wafted  us  softly  onwards.  On  both 
sides,  the  shore  rose  into  a  series  of  hills ;  on  the  right  side, 
wild,  abrupt,  mazy,  and  tangled  ;  and  on  the  left,  covered  with 
the  freshest  verdure  and  interspersed  with  luxuriant  trees. 
Noble  seats  appeared,  crowning  the  hills  and  sloping  on  their 
sides ;  and  in  the  spaces  between  the  elevated  spots,  glimpses 
were  caught  of  sweet  valleys  winding  among  scattered  woods, 
or  of  princely  domes  and  spires  in  the  richness  of  the  distance. 
All  wore,  not  the  pale  livery  of  an  opening  spring,  but  the  full 
bloom  of  maturest  summer.  The  transition  to  such  a  scene, 
sparkling  in  the  richest  tints  of  sunshine  and  overhung  by  a 


162  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

my  strength  holds  proportion  to  my  day.  I  still 
hope  and  trust  in  God,  and  joyfully  acquiesce  in 
all  He  may  do  with  me.  When  you  see  my 
dear  friends  of  the  congregation,  inform  them 
of  my  circumstances,  and  assure  them  that  I 
cheerfully  submit  myself  to  God.     If  I  desire 

cloudless  sky  of  the  deepest  blue,  from  the  scanty  and  just- 
budding  foliage  of  Cornwall,  as  I  left  it,  was  like  the  change 
of  a  Midsummer  Night's  Dream  ;  a  sudden  admission  into  fairy 
worlds.  As  we  glided  up  the  enchanted  channel,  the  eleva- 
tions on  the  left  became  overspread  with  magnificent  build- 
ings, like  mingled  temples  and  palaces,  rising  one  above 
another  into  segments  of  vast  amphitheatres,  and  interspersed 
with  groves  of  the  fullest  yet  most  delicate  green.  Close  to 
the  water  lay  a  barbaric  edifice,  of  rich  though  fantastic  archi- 
tecture, a  relic  of  Moorish  grandeur,  now  converted  into  the 
last  earthly  abode  of  the  monarchs  of  Portugal.  Hence  the 
buildings  continued  to  thicken  over  the  hills  and  to  assume  a 
more  confused,  though  scarcely  less  romantic  aspect,  till  we 
anchored  in  front  of  the  most  populous  part  of  Lisbon.  The 
city  was  stretched  beyond  the  reach  of  the  eye,  on  every  side, 
upon  the  ascents  and  summits  of  very  lofty  and  steep  eleva- 
tions. The  white  houses,  thickly  intersected  with  windows, 
mostly  framed  with  green  and  white  lattice-work,  seemed  to 
have  their  foundations  on  the  tops  of  others;  terraces  ap- 
peared lifted  far  above  the  lofty  buildings,  and  other  edifices 
rose  above  them ;  gardens  looked  as  suspended  by  magic  in 
the  clouds,  and  the  whole  scene  wore  an  aspect  of  the  most 
gorgeous  confusion,  *'  all  bright  and  glittering  in  the  smoke- 
less air." ' 

For  a  description  of  the  Tagus  and  of  Lisbon,  see  also  Robert 
Southey's  Life  and  Correspondence. 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  163 

life  may  be  restored,  it  is  chiefly  that  it  may  be 
employed  in  serving  Christ  among  them ;  and 
that  I  am  enabled  by  faith  to  look  upon  death 
as  an  enemy  that  shall  he  destroyed;  and  that  I  can 
cheerfully  leave  my  dear  Mrs.  Doddridge  a 
widow,  in  this  strange  land,  if  such  be  the  ap- 
pointment of  our  Heavenly  Father.  I  hope  I 
have  done  my  duty,  and  the  Lord  do  as  seemeth 
good  in  His  sight.' 

Doddridge  was  hospitably  received  at  Lisbon, 
in  the  house  of  Mr.  King,  an  English  merchant, 
whose  mother  was  a  member  of  his  congrega- 
tion at  iJ^forthampton.  Here  he  met  with  Dr. 
Watts's  Discourses  on  the  Conquest  over  Death,  and 
the  Happiness  of  Separate  Spirits*  made  Perfect ;  the 
perusal  of  which,  aflTorded  him  no  little  consola- 
tion while  in  this  foreign  land,  soothing  and 
cheering  his  spirit  within  a  short  period  of  his 
departure.*     In  reading  these  discourses,  and, 

*' I  have  lately  been  reading  Dr.  Watts's  Discourses  on  the 
Happiness  of  Separate  Spirits.  It  is  impossible  to  peruse  them 
without  feeling  an  elevation  of  mind  above  the  trifles  of  earth  ; 
without  being  inspired  by  the  desire  "  to  see  and  taste  the 
bliss."  ' — Jane  Taylor.     See  her  Memoir  by  her  brother. 

'  The  most  beautiful  of  all  his  discourses,  The  Happiness  of 
Separate  Spirits  made  Perfect.' —  Orme. 

'  His  sermon  on  The  End  of  Time,  is  as  profoundly  awaken- 
ing as  The  Happiness  of  Separate  Spirits  is  elevating  to  our 
nobler  sentiments  and  reproving  to  our  earthliness. —  Rev. 
Dr.  Hamilton,        . . 


164  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

especially,  in  meditating  on  tlie  Scriptures,  lie 
was  employed  as  much  as  his  failing  strength 
would  permit.  About  a  week  after  his  arrival 
at  Lisbon,  by  the  advice  of  his  physician,  he  was 
removed  into  the  open  country,  a  few  miles  from 
the  city.  The  rainy  season  now  coming  on 
with  unusual  violence,  produced  a  change  which 
took  away  all  prospect  of  recovery,  and  he  rap- 
idly sank.  "Within  a  very  short  period  of  his 
death,  he  desired  Mrs.  Doddridge  to  '  remember 
him  in  the  most  affectionate  manner  to  his  dear 
children,  his  flock,  and  all  his  friends ;  and  to 
tell  them  of  the  gratitude  his  heart  felt,  and  the 
blessings  he  wished  for  them  all,  on  account  of 
their  kindness  to  him;  nor  was  the  family 
where  he  lodged,  nor  even  his  own  servant,  for- 
gotten in  these  expressions  of  his  pious  benevo- 
lence. Many  devout  sentiments  and  aspirations 
he  uttered ;  but  her  heart  was  too  much  affected 
with  his  approaching  change  to  be  able  to  recol- 
lect them.  After  lying  still  some  time,  and  be- 
ing supposed  asleep,  he  told  her  that  he  had 
been  renewing  his  covenant  engagements  with 
God,  and  that  he  had  a  cheerful,  well-grounded 
hope,  through  the  Redeemer,  of  being  received 
to  His  everlasting  mercy.'* 

*  Doddridge  was  now  experiencing,  in  an  eminent  degree, 
the  blessedness  of  what  he  had  but  a  few  years  before  ex- 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  165 

Early  on  Saturday  morning,  October  26, 1751, 
Doddridge  expired,  in  the  fiftieth  year  of  his 
age.  His  departure  was  like  the  going  down  of 
the  sun  in  an  unclouded  sky.  How  peaceful  the 
close  of  his  pilgrimage  !  How  firm  his  faith  on 
the  Rock  of  Ages !  How  joyful  his  hope  in 
Christ !  How  full  of  devotion  his  last  thoughts 
and  words  !  What  heart  is  not  deeply  interested 
and  impressed  by  a  contemplation  of  the  se- 
renity, majesty,  and  cheerfulness  of  his  closing 
hours ! 

*  Hear  the  last  words  the  believer  saith, 
He  has  bidden  adieu  to  his  earthly  friends  ; 
There  is  peace  in  his  eye  that  upward  bends ; 
There  is  peace  in  his  calm,  confiding  air ; 
For  his  last  thoughts  are  God's,  his  Zas^  words,  peayer.'* 

The  remains  of  Doddridge  were  interred  in 
the  English  cemetery  at  Lisbon,  where  his  grave 
still  remains,  and  '  like  Henry  Martyn's  at  To- 
cat,  is  to  the  Christian  traveler  a  little  spot  of 

pressed  in  writing  to  a  friend:  'It  is  the  grace  of  the  gospel 
to  the  chief  of  sinners  that  is  all  my  confidence  and  hope.  This 
grace,  indeed,  I  have  found,  and  will  endeavor  to  celebrate  it 
to,  and  with,  my  last  breath.^ 

* '  His  mind  enjoyed  a  delightful  calm,  full  of  joy  and  thank- 
fulness, which  was  often  expressed  by  his  words  and  always 
by  his  looks.' — Editor  of  Doddridge's  Correspondence 


166  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

holy  ground.'*  A  plain  monument  was  first 
raised  over  liis  grave,  which  in  the  course  of 
time  became  decayed.  In  1828,  the  Eev.  Tho- 
mas Taylor  caused  a  new  marble  tomb  to  be 
erected,  with  the  following  inscription  : 

*  Philip  Doddridge,  D.  D.,  died  October  26, 
1751,  aged  50.'  To  this  is  added:  ^  With  high 
respect  for  his  character  and  writings,  this  stone 
of  remembrance  was  raised  upon  a  former  one 
in  decay,  in  the  month  of  June,  1828,  at  the  de- 
sire and  expense  of  Thomas  Taylor,  of  all  his 
numerous  pupils  the  only  one  living. 'f 

*  Besides  the  remains  of  other  visitors,  those  of  Henry  Field- 
ing, the  celebrated  English  novelist,  repose  in  the  English 
cemetery  at  Lisbon.  Fielding  was  born  in  1707;  and  died  at 
Lisbon,  where  he  had  gone  in  search  of  health,  in  October, 
1754,  in  the  forty-eighth  year  of  his  age.  We  must  refer  the 
reader  to  his  interesting  and  spirited  account  of  his  '  Journey 
to  Lisbon.' 

t  This  excellent  dissenting  minister  was  born  in  the  vicinity 
of  Kidderminster,  in  1735.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  entered 
the  theological  academy  at  Northampton,  not  many  months 
before  the  death  of  Dr.  Doddridge.  He  completed  his  prepara- 
tory studies  for  the  ministry  under  the  direction  of  Dr.  Caleb 
Ashworth,  the  successor  of  Dr.  Doddridge  as  principal  of  the 
same  theological  institution.  Mr.  Taylor  was  for  some  years 
domestic  chaplain  to  Elizabeth  Abney,  of  Stoke  Newington, 
the  daughter  of  Sir  Thomas  and  Lady  Abney,  in  whose  hospi- 
table mansion  Dr.  Watts  had  so  long  resided.  He  subsequently 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  167 

On  the  death  of  Doddridge,  his  widow,  who 
appears  to  have  been  wonderfully  sustained  by 
divine  strength,  wrote  a  beautiful  letter  from 
Lisbon  to  her  family  at  ]^orthampton,  in  which 
she  says :  '  God  is  all-sufficient,  and  my  only 
hope.  Such  I  have,  indeed  found  Him,  and 
such  I  verily  believe  you  will  find  Him  in  this 
time  of  deep  distress.  0,  my  dear  children, 
help  me  to  praise  Him !  Such  supports,  such 
consolations  has  He  granted  to  one  of  the  mean- 
est and  most  unworthy  of  His  creatures,  that  my 
mind  is  at  times  held  in  perfect  astonishment, 
and  is  ready  under  its  exquisite  distress  to  burst 
out  into  songs  of  praise.*  As  to  outward  com- 
forts. He  has  withheld  no  good  thing  from  me, 
but  has  given  me  all  the  supports  that  the  ten- 
derest  friendship  was  capable  of  afibrding  me, 
in  this  time  of  great  extremity,   and  which,  I 

became  pastor  of  a  dissenting  congregation  in  Carter  lane, 
London,  where  lie  died  in  1831,  in  the  ninety-seventh  year  of 
his  age. 

*  Spiritual  comforts  in  distress,  such  as  the  world  can  nei- 
ther give,  nor  take  away,  show  that  God  looks  upon  the  souls 
of  His  with  another  eye  than  He  beholdeth  others.  He  sends 
a  secret  messenger  that  reports  His  peculiar  love  to  their 
hearts.  He  knows  their  souls,  and  feeds  them  with  His  hid- 
den manna —  the 'inward  peace  they  feel  is  not  in  freedom 
from  trouble,  but  in  freeness  with  God  in  the  midst  of  trouble.' 

—  SiBBES. 


168  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

think,  my  dear  IN'orthamptoii  friends  could 
hardly  have  exceeded.  Their  prayers  are  not 
lost,  and  I  doubt  not  I  am  reaping  the  benefit 
of  them,  and  I  hope  my  dear  children  will  do 
the  same.  *         *        *         *  And  now, 

my  dear  children,  what  shall  I  say  to  you  ?  Ours 
is  no  common  loss ;  I  mourn  the  best  of  hus- 
bands and  of  friends,  removed  from  our  world 
of  sin  and  sorrow  to  the  regions  of  immortal 
life  and  glory.  What  a  mercy  is  it  that  my 
thoughts  are  enabled  with  joy  to  pursue  him 
thither  !  You  have  lost,  my  dear  children,  the 
dearest  and  the  best  of  parents,  the  guide  of 
your  youth,  and  whose  pleasure  it  would  have 
been  to  have  introduced  you  with  advantage  to 
the  world.  Great,  indeed,  is  our  loss,  and  yet  I 
really  think  the  loss  the  public  has  sustained  is 
still  greater.  I  am  ready  to  say  the  glory  is 
departed ;  but  God  will  never  want  instruments 
to  carry  on  His  work.  Let  us  be  thankful  that 
God  ever  gave  us  such  a  friend,  and  that  He 
continued  him  so  long,  though  every  hour  and 
day  has  only  tended  the  more  to  endear  him  to 
us.  *         *         *  j^g^  ug  remember  that 

the  best  respect  we  can  pay  to  his  memoiy,  is  to 
endeavor,  as  far  as  we  can,  to  follow  his  exam- 
ple, and  to  cultivate  those  lovely  qualities  which 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  169 

rendered  him  so  justly  dear  to  us  and  so  mucli 
esteemed  in  the  world.'* 

Soon  after  the  decease  of  her  husband,  Mrs. 
Doddridge  returned  to  England,  where  she  passed 
the  remainder  of  her  days.  She  died  in  peace, 
in  1790,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two. 

There  is  a  pleasing  reference  to  Mrs.  Dod- 
dridge in  the  diary  of  an  eminent  American 
pulpit  orator,   the  Rev.    Samuel    Davies,  who 

*  It  is  scarcely  necessary  to  say  that  the  death  of  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge was  deeply  lamented  by  the  Christian  world.  The 
Gentleman' s  Magazine  has  this  excellent  notice  of  his  demise, 
in  a  list  of  deaths  for  the  year  1751 :  '  October  26,  Rev.  Philip 
Doddridge,  D.  D.,  of  a  consumption  of  the  lungs,  at  Lisbon; 
to  which  place  he  had  lately  retired  by  the  advice  of  his  phy- 
sicians, for  the  recovery  of  his  health.  He  had  been  minister 
of  the  dissenting  meeting  in  Northampton  twenty-two  years, 
and  had  established  an  academy  there,  which  he  supported 
with  such  reputation,  as  brought  students  to  it  from  all  parts 
of  the  kingdom.  He  was  a  man  of  a  fine  genius,  rich  in  stores 
of  learning,  and  of  unexampled  activity  and  diligence.  His 
piety  was  without  disguise,  his  love  without  jealousy,  his  be- 
nevolence without  bonds.  His  candor  was  so  uncommon,  ex- 
tensive, and  unaflFected,  as  to  give  him  the  general  esteem  of 
the  clergy  and  the  particular  friendship  of  some  very  eminent 
men.  In  the  several  characters  of  a  friend,  a  writer,  a  preach- 
er, a  tutor,  he  had  few  superiors ;  in  all  united,  he  had  no 
equal.  His  disconsolate  widow  (whose  chief  dowry  is,  that 
she  inherits  the  spirit  of  this  excellent  man),  is  returning  to 
England,  tq.  assuage  the  griefs  and  form  the  minds  of  her  ami- 
able offspring ;  and  to  forward  those  writings  to  the  press, 
which  were  designed  for  public  view.' 
16 


170  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

visited  England  in  1753,  on  behalf  of  Princeton 
college.  In  liis  record  of  August  11,  1754,  Mr. 
Davies  says :  '  Preached  in  Dr.  Doddridge's  pul- 
pit ;  aiid  the  sight  of  his  monument  with  a  very 
significant  inscription,  struck  my  mind  with  un- 
common energy.  The  congregation  is  decreased 
since  the  doctor's  death,  as  they  can  find  none 
to  supply  his  place  fully.  Monday,  went  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  Warburton  and  Mr.  Wilkinson 
to  make  private  applications  among  the  people, 
and  received  about  sixteen  pounds,  of  which 
Mrs.  Doddridge  procured  me  three  guineas. 
Dined  with  her,  and  found  her  conversation  ani- 
mated with  good  sense  and  piety.  She  remem- 
bered me  as  a  correspondent  of  the  "  dear  de- 
ceased," as  she  calls  the  doctor,  and  treated  me 
with  uncommon  friendship.  I  was  surprised 
that  she  could  talk  of  him  with  so  much  com- 
posure, notwithstanding  her  flowing  affections. 
She  told  me  '  she  never  had  a  more  comfortable 
season,  than  when  returning  from  Lisbon,  on 
the  boisterous  ocean,  after  the  doctor's  death.'* 
On  his  leaving  ^Northampton  Mr.  Davies  made 

■^  It  was  on  the  occasion  of  this  visit  to  England  that  Mr. 
Davies  is  said  to  have  preached  an  eloquent  discourse  before 
George  II,  in  which  he  thus  reproved  his  majesty  for  what  he 
deemed  to  be  irreverence  in  his  behavior.  Fixing  his  eyes 
on  the  king,  Mr.   Davies  is   said   to    have  boldly  exclaimed : 


HIS  LAST  DAYS.  171 

this  entry  in  his  diaiy :  ^  Spent  an  hour  with 
dear  Mrs.  Doddridge,  and  at  her  request,  parted 
with  prayer,  in  which  I  found  my  heart  much 
enlarged.  She  made  a  remark  that  has  often 
occurred  to  me  since,  that  "  she  rejoiced  that  the 
dear  deceased  was  called  to  the  tribunal  of 
his  Master  with  a  heart  full  of  such  generous 
schemes  for  the  good  of  mankind,  which  he  had 
zeal  to  project,  though  not  life  to  execute." 
May  this  be  my  happy  case.' 

The  chapel  on  Castle-hill,  in  which  Doddridge 
preached  more  than  a  hundred  years  ago,  is  still 
standing,  and  like  Matthew  Henry's  church  at 
Chester,  is  visited  by  many  a  Christian  traveler. 
The  Rev.  Dr.  Hamilton,  of  London,  who,  seve- 
ral years  ago,  visited  the  house  in  which  Dod- 
dridge lived  at  ^Northampton,  and  the  old  chapel 
on  Castle-hill,  has  furnished  us  with  this  descrip- 
tive  passage,  which  will  be  read  with  interest  by 
those  who  love  to  contemplate  one  of  the  bright- 

*  When  the  lion  roars,  the  beasts  of  the  forests  all  tremble  ;  and 
when  King  Jesus  speaks,  the  princes  of  the  earth  should  keep  si- 
lence.' 

The  following  explanation  has  been  given  of  the  king's  con- 
duct on  this  occasion  :  '  The  king  is  said  to  have  been  so  en- 
raptured with  Mr.  Davies's  solemn  and  impressive  manner 
and  eloquence,  that  he  was  constrained  repeatedly  to  express 
his  astonishment  and  applause  to  those  around  him,  and  felt 
anything  else  but  irreverence  upon  the  occasion.' 


172  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

est  ornaments  of  his  country  and  of  the  Christ- 
ian church :  '  We  went  to  see  the  spot  ennobled 
by  the  most  attractive  name  in  last  century's 
dissenting  ministry.  We  went  to  see  the  house 
where  the  Rise  and  Progress  was  written.  "We 
visited  the  old  chapel  with  its  square  windows 
and  sombre  walls,  where  so  many  fervent  exhor- 
tations were  once  poured  forth,  and  so  much 
enduring  good  was  accomplished.  We  entered 
the  pulpit  where  Doddridge  used  to  preach,  and 
the  pew  where  Colonel  Gardiner  worshipped. 
We  sat  in  the  old  arm-chair,  beside  the  vestry 
fire,  and  flanking  the  little  table  on  which  so 
many  pages  of  that  affecting  diary  were  written.' 
Mr.  Miall,  in  his  Footsteps  of  our  Forefathers, 
has  also  an  interesting  notice  of  Doddridge's 
church.  In  alluding  to  '  the  pleasant  and  well- 
built  town  of  l^orthampton,'  he  says:  ''Not  a 
few  have  probably  directed  their  first  inquiries, 
on  entering  it,  to  the  vestiges  of  the  author  of 
The  Family  Expositor,  and  of  The  Rise  and  Pro- 
gress of  Religion  in  the  Soul.  Doddridge's  meeting- 
house still  stands  on  the  Castle-hill, —  a  spot  not 
to  be  visited  without  a  crowd  of  historical  remi- 
niscences. *  *  *  This  chapel,  which 
would  be  deemed  a  large  one  for  that  period,  is 
neat  and  commodious ;  and,  though  the  lower 
part  of  it  has  been  considerably  renovated,  the 


ins  LAST  DAYS. 


173 


pulpit  and  the  pewing  of  the  galleries  are  still 
unchanged.  A  marble  monument,  in  the  most 
profuse  style  of  mural  decoration,  bears  an  in- 
scription to  the  memory  of  Doddridge,  more 
verbose  than  powerful. 

'  But  there  is  no  part  of  this  building  alto- 
gether so  interesting  to  the  visitor  as  the  vestry. 
Here  are  the  chair  in  which  Doddridge  sat ;  the 
table  at  which  he  wrote  his  Expositor;  the  origi- 
nal invitation  addressed  to  him  to  become  the 
pastor  of  the  church,  with  his  reply ;  the  draw- 
ing of  the  monument  erected  to  his  memory  in 
the  cemetery  of  Lisbon,  where  he  died.  These 
walls  have  been,  doubtless,  familiar  with  many 
of  those  communings  of  ardent  devotion  which 
rendered  him  so  powerful  in  the  pulpit  and  from 
the  press ;  and  here  he  often  verified  the  senti- 
ment, that  "  solitude  has  nothing  gloomy  in  it 
when  the  soul  points  upwards."  ' 


CHAPTER   YI. 


HIS   CHARACTER. 


E,.  Doddridge  was  of  a  tall  and  very 
slender  form,  having  large  features, 
and  a  cheerful  countenance.  His  dis- 
7'  position  was  amiable ;  lie  was  extremely 
kind  and  full  of  sympathy  ;  and  his  manners 
were  easy,  agreeable,  and  courteous.  His  con- 
versational powers  were  excellent,  his  discourse 
'  being  at  once  instructive  and  entertaining,  and 
not  unfrequently  rising  to  the  splendid.'  When 
engaged  in  conversation,  his  countenance  was 
remarkably  animated. 

As  a  preacher,  Doddridge  possessed  some 
qualities  which  rendered  his  discourses  popular, 
weighty,  and  effective.  Graceful  and  vehement 
in  his  gestures,  strong  and  impressive  in  his  lan- 
guage, earnest  and  pathetic  in  his  address,  he 
was  well  adapted  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  to 
persuade  the  unbelieving,  to  arouse  the  careless, 
and  console  the  faithful.     His  vivacity  of  coun- 


77/^  CHARACTER.  175 

tenance  and  manner  while  in  the  pulpit,  secured 
the  attention  of  his  audience.  '  He  had  an  ear- 
nestness and  pathos  in  his  manner  of  speaking,' 
says  Orton,  'which,  as  it  seemed  to  be  the 
natural  eftect  of  a  strong  impression  of  divine 
truths  upon  his  own  heart,  tended  greatly  to 
affect  his  hearers,  and  to  render  his  discourses 
more  acceptable  and  useful,  than  if  his  delivery 
had  been  more  calm  and  dispassionate.'  Full 
of  strong  feelings,  and  often  of  deep  pathos,  his 
discourses  appeared  to  come  from  the  very 
depths  of  his  heart.  In  this  he  exhibited  the 
power  of  the  orator.  Lord  Erskine  has  well 
remarked,  that  '  intellect  alone,  however  exalted, 
without  strong  feelings,  without  even  irritable 
sensibility,  would  be  only  like  an  immense  ma- 
gazine of  powder,  if  there  were  no  such  element 
as  fire  in  the  natural  world.  It  is  the  heart  which 
is  the  spring  and  fountain  of  all  eloquence.'  The 
Rev.  Dr.  Dwight  has  a  somewhat  similar  remark, 
the  truth  of  which  Doddridge  fully  exemplified 
in  his  preaching.  Says  he  :  '  Every  preacher,  if 
he  would  eftect  anything,  must  both  believe  and 
feel  what  he  declares.  From  earnestness,  elo- 
quent sentiments  and  persuasive  language  na- 
turally spring.  In  truth,  earnestness  is  itself  the 
soul  of  eloquence,!* 

*  Akenside,  the  poet,   during  his  brief  residence  at  North- 
ampton, enjoyed  considerable  intimacy  with  Dr.  Doddridge, 


176  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

In  the  application  of  his  sermons,  particularly, 
Doddridge  became  *warm  and  affectionate,' 
bringing  the  subject  to  bear  in  its  power  upon 
the  conscience,  beseeching  sinners,  with  the  ten- 
derest  concern  for  their  souls,  to  be  reconciled 
to  God  ;  and  encouraging  believers  to  go  on  in 
the  '  good  way '  with  their  affections  placed  on 
things  above,  and  their  conversation  in  heaven. 
Says  he,  '  I  have  often  "  in  as  melting  a  manner 
as  I  could,  and  as  knowing  the  terrors  of  the 
Lord,  entreated  my  hearers  to  be  reconciled 
to  God;"  and,  perhaps,  few  preachers  have 
abounded  more  in  addresses  of  that  kind.' 

His  favorite  topics  of  public  discourse  were 

and  occasionally  heard  him  preach.  In  allusion  to  this  Dr. 
Kippis  relates  an  instance  of  Doddridge's  power  of  extempo- 
raneous speaking,  of  "which  he  was  an  eye  witness.  Akenside, 
accompanied  by  some  of  his  relations  from  Newcastle  upon 
Tyne,  who  were  dissenters,  came  unexpectedly  one  Sabbath 
morning  to  Doddridge's  chapel.  *  The  subject  he  preached 
upon,'  says  Dr.  Kippis,  *  was  a  common  orthodox  topic,  for 
which  he  had  scacely  made  any  preparation ;  but  he  roused 
his  faculties  on  the  occasion,  and  spoke  with  such  energy,  va- 
riety^ and  eloquence,  as  excited  my  warmest  admiration,  and 
must  have  impressed  Dr.  Akenside  with  a  high  opinion  of  his 
abilities.' 

In  writing  to  Dr.  Clarke,  in  1744,  Doddridge  thus  refers  to 
Akenside' s  principal  poem,  then  but  recently  published:  'I 
have  received  some  entertainment  from  a  poem  called  The 
Pleasures  of  the  Imagination,  written  by  Dr.  Akenside,  a  young 
physician  of  twenty-two  years  of  age. 


HIS  CHARACTER.  177 

the  distinguishing  doctrines  of  Christianity.  '  He 
considered  himself  as  a  minister  of  the  gospel,  and 
therefore  could  not  satisfy  himself  without 
preaching  Christ  and  Him  crucified.  He  never 
puzzled  his  hearers  with  dry  criticisms  and  ab- 
struce  disquisitions  ;  nor  contented  himself  with 
moral  essays  and  philosophical  harangues.  He 
thought  it  cruelty  to  God's  children  to  give  them 
stones  w\\QYi  they  came  for  bread.'  'It  is  my  de- 
sire,' says  he,  'not  to  entertain  an  auditory  with 
pretty  lively  things,  which  is  comparatively 
easy,  but  to  come  close  to  their  consciences,  to 
awaken  them  to  a  real  sense  of  their  spiritual 
concerns,  to  bring  them  to  God,  and  keep  them 
continually  near  to  Him ;  which,  to  me  at  least, 
is  an  exceeding  hard  thing.'  Again  he  says: 
'  I  know  nothing  in  the  world  I  have  desired  so 
much  as  "  the  glory  of  God  and  the  conversion  of 
souls,''  in  the  prosecution  of  my  ministry.' 

In  his  own  pulpit  efforts,  Doddridge  has  fur- 
nished an  example  of  what  ministers  everywhere 
should  preach.  He  labored  earnestly  to  preach 
Christ  and  Him  crucified,  and  to  bring  sinners 
near  to  Him,  by  the  blood  of  the  cross.  In  his 
addresses  to  theological  students  he  insisted 
upon  the  grand  design  of  preaching  as  revealed 
in  the  Scriptures.  Thus,  says  he,  on  one  occa- 
sion :  '  T  would  strictly  charge  all  who  are  de- 


178  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

signed  for  this  glorious  work,  that  they  preach 
Christ ;  that  they  insist  upon  Him  as  the  only 
foundation  of  a  hope  for  glory ;  that  they  lahor 
that  He  may  he  in  all  their  hearers  hy  a  lively 
faith,  and  not  only  by  outward  profession.' 

He  seems  to  have  preached  as  Egbert  Hall 
would  have  all  ministers  to  preach,  exhibiting 
Christ  in  His  suff'erings,  in  His  atonement,  in 
all  His  mediatorial  glories ;  as  the  pearl  of  great 
price ;  as  a  complete  Saviour ;  as  the  way,  the 
truth,  and  the  life.  Says  that  eloquent  divine : 
'  Display  the  sufierings  of  Christ  like  one  who 
was  an  eye-witness  of  those  sufierings,  and  hold 
up  the  blood,  the  precious  blood  of  atonement, 
as  issuing  warm  from  the  cross.  It  is  a  peculiar 
excellence  of  the  gospel,  that  in  its  wonderful 
adaptation  to  the  state  and  condition  of  man- 
kind as  fallen  creatures,  it  bears  intrinsic  marks 
of  its  divinity,  and  is  supported  not  less  by  in- 
ternal than  by  external  evidence.  By  a  power- 
ful appeal  to  the  conscience,  by  a  faithful  deline- 
ation of  man  in  his  grandeur  and  in  his  weak- 
ness, in  his  original  capacity  for  happiness  and 
his  present  misery  and  guilt,  present  this  branch 
of  its  evidence  in  all  its  force.  Seize  on  every 
occasion  those  features  of  Christianity  which 
render  it  interesting,  and  by  awakening  the 
fears,  and  exciting  the  hopes,  of  your  hearers, 


HIS  CHARACTER.  179 

endeavor  to  annihilate  every  other  ohject,  and 
make  it  appear  what  it  really  is,  the  pearl  of 
great  price,  the  sovereign  balm,  the  cure  of  every 
ill,  the  antidote  of  death,  the  precursor  of  immor- 
tality. In  such  a  ministry,  fear  not  tt.  give  loose 
to  all  the  ardor  of  your  soul,  to  call  into  action 
every  emotion  and  every  faculty  which  can  ex- 
alt or  adorn  it.' 

"While  in  the  pulpit  Doddridge  appears  to 
have  kept  before  his  mind  the  preciousness  of  the 
redemption  of  the  soul ;  and  to  have  dwelt  with 
great  pathos  and  solemnity  on  this  momentous 
subject.  Who  can  read  without  emotion  his 
earnest  address  to  ministers  to  be  diligent  and 
ardent  in  endeavoring  to  save  souls  from  the 
abodes  of  eternal  darkness,  despair,  and  death  ? 
How  forcibly  does  he  urge  this  duty  upon  the 
minister,  by  a  consideration  of  the  precious- 
ness and  immortality  of  the  soul ;  the  state  of 
unending  felicity  or  woe  on  which  it  is  shortly 
to  enter;  and  the  brevity  and  uncertainty  of 
human  existence  —  the  only  period  allotted  for 
securing  this  salvation!  'Ohj  remember,'  he 
exclaims,  '  that  the  soul  is  infinitely  precious ! 
remember  at  the  price  of  whose  blood  souls 
were  purchased ;  remember  how  long  they  are 
to  endure ;  remember  on  what  a  state  of  consum- 
mate and  endless  happiness  or  misery 


180  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

to  enter  in  a  very  little  while ;  remember,  too, 
what  a  precarious  life  this  is,  that  we  and  they 
lead  in  this  dying  body  ;  and  how  soon  some 
little,  unobserved  cause  may  on  a  sudden  re- 
move us  from  all  capacity  of  attempting  any- 
thing farther  in  this  great  and  good  work,  or 
remove  them  from  any  possibility  of  receiving 
any  benefit  from  our  continued  labors.  Let  us, 
therefore,  be  as  diligent  and  as  zealous  as  it  be- 
comes those  to  be  who  see  themselves  and  their 
hearers  upon  the  borders  of  eternity,  and  who  long 
to  have  the  honor  and  pleasure  of  saving  souls, 
and  presenting  them  to  Christ  at  the  great 
day.'* 

The  same  diligence,  zeal,  earnestness  and  de- 
votion in  exhibiting  the  salvation  of  the  soul  as 
the  grand  object  of  a  minister's  labors,  that  char- 
acterized Doddridge  in  his  pulpit  efforts,  stirred 
the  spirit  of  one  in  later  times  to  pen  the  follow- 
ing noble  passage  on  the  right  way  of  preaching, 
with  a  view  of  producing  a  general  revival  of 
religion :  '  The  gospel,'  says  Bishop  Daniel  Wil- 

*  '  0,  retreat  now  from  the  snares  of  the  world ;  shut  your 
eyes  upon  the  scenes  of  time,  on  which  they  must  soon  be 
closed  forever.  Converse  with  the  world  to  come ;  endeavor 
to  yield  to  the  power  of  it;  look  at  "the  things  which  are  not 
seen ;"  walk,  as  it  were,  upon  the  borders  of  the  ocean  of  eternity, 
and  listen  to  the  sound  of  its  waters  till  you  are  deaf  to  every  sound 
besides.^ —  Robert  Hall. 


HIS  CHARACTER.  181 

son,  in  his  earnest  appeals  to  tlie  ministers  of 
all  the  protestant  churches  of  Europe  and  Ame- 
rica, ^The  gospel  is  an  unspeakable  gift.  It 
touches  on  eternity.  It  concerns  both  worlds. 
It  involves  the  glorj^  of  God,  the  honor  of  Christ, 
the  welfare  of  souls.  It  is  founded  on  the  unut- 
terable agonies  of  the  cross,  and  ceases  not  until 
it  has  brought  the  penitent  sinner  to  heaven. 
The  blessings  we  have  to  offer  are  the  greatest ; 
the  woe  we  have  to  denounce  is  the  most  fearful. 
Everything  connected  with  our  office  partakes 
of  the  incomprehensible  greatness  of  the  gifts 
of  the  Saviour  and  the  Holy  Spirit.  Till  (then) 
our  whole  souls  are  animated,  elevated,  ab- 
sorbed ;  till  we  see  nothing  to  be  important, 
compared  with  our  work;  till  nothing  satisfies 
us,  or  can  satisfy  us,  but  success  in  it ;  till  we 
look  on  the  afi:airs  of  human  pursuit,  and  hu- 
man wisdom,  and  human  power,  and  hu- 
man glory,  as  the  toys  of  children  in  compari- 
son ;  till  we  draw  all  our  studies,  all  our  af- 
fections, every  faculty  of  our  minds,  and  every 
member  of  our  bodies,  to  this  one  point;  till 
the  salvation  of  souls  is  the  one  thing  we  aim  at, 
the  object  of  desire,  the  ruling  passion  of  our 
souls,  we  can  never  expect  a  general  revival  of 
religion,  which  can  only  spring,  under  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  from  such  principles  and  impres- 
16 


182  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

sions.  To  preacli  ariglit,  is  to  give  a  tongue  to 
prophets  and  apostles ;  is  to  speak  as  tlie  blessed 
Saviour  and  St.  Paul  spake ;  it  is  to  make  truth 
intelligible,  forcible,  triumpliant ;  it  is  to  clear 
away  from  the  Bible  false  glosses,  and  present 
it  in  its  native  purity,  and  clothe  it  with  the 
attributes  of  a  living  instructor ;  it  is  to  give  to 
the  written  doctrine,  the  tenderness  and  pathos, 
the  authority  and  force,  with  which  it  was  first 
clothed  by  the  inspired  writers.' 

As  an  author,  Doddridge  is  remarkably  per- 
spicuous, copious,  easy,  and  pleasing.  He  is  oc- 
casionally eloquent.  Excelling  in  the  warm  and 
pathetic,  he  has  furnished  many  instances  in  his 
works  '  of  true  oratory  and  the  most  animated, 
moving  address.'  Studying  the  English  lan- 
guage with  great  care  in  the  earlier  part  of  his 
life,  he  Ibrmed  his  style  on  the  best  models.  He 
seems  to  have  been  a  careful  reader  of  The  Spec- 
tator,  and  has  evidently  chosen  Addison  for  his 
model  in  style.*  And  we  discover  in  his  com- 
positions a  polish  which  is  wanting  in  those  of 
most  of  the  theological  writers  of  his  age.     His 

*  Doddridge  mentions  Addison  with  no  little  respect.  In  the 
Family  Expositor  he  refers  to  his  Evidences  of  Christianity,  and 
to  The  Spectator.  In  a  note  on  his  exposition  of  Matthew  vi, 
10,  he  says  :  *  There  is  a  great  deal  of  beauty  and  spirit  in  the 
interpretation  which  Mr.  Addison  gives  of  this  petition. 
Spectator,  No.  207.' 


HIS  CHARACTER.  183 

style,  however,  though  distinguished  by  clear 
conception  and  orderly  arrangement,  is  fre- 
quently diffuse  and  redundant. 

In  the  illustration  of  his  discourses  Doddridge 
was  not  so  happy,  in  one  or  two  respects,  as 
many  other  distinguished  writers  on  theological 
subjects.  He  seldom  introduced  beautiful  ima- 
gery, or  descriptive  sketches  drawn  from  the 
scenes  of  life  or  the  works  of  nature.  Hence  his 
serious  writings  are  deficient  in  that  freshness, 
and  felicity  of  illustration,  which  characterize 
the  productions  of  such  authors  as  Bunyan, 
Jeremy  Taylor,  old  Izaak  "Walton,  "Whitefield, 
Rowland  Hill,*  and  Legh  Richmond, f  whose 
pious  sentiments  are  often  adorned  by  illustra- 
tions from  the  scenes  of  rural  life ;  from  the 
beauty  of  flowers,  trees,  and  fields ;  from  the 
birds  warbling  their  songs  in  the  groves ;  from 
the  clear,  murmuring  stream ;  from  the  spark- 
ling fountain;  from  the  majestic  river,  from  the 
grand  ocean,  and  from  the  firmament  studded 
with  innumerable  stars.     It  is  the  happy  union 

*  Bobert  Hall  said  of  Rowland  Hill :  '  No  man  has  ever 
drawn,  since  the  days  of  our  Saviour,  such  sublime  images 
from  nature.     Here  Mr.  Hill  excels  every  other  man.' 

f  One  of  the  great  sources  of  Legh  Richmond's  popularity  as 
an  author  is  to  be  found,  says  Dr.  Jamieson,  in  his  talent  '  of 
skillfully  interweaving  graphic  delineations  of  natural  scenery 
with  the  lessons  of  piety  and  Christian  wisdom  ' 


184  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

of  images  drawn  from  the  beauties  of  nature, 
with  the  pure  teaching  of  revelation,  enforced 
with  pathetic  affectionateness,  which  constitutes 
the  principal  charm  of  works  on  sacred  litera- 
ture. It  is  the  great  secret  of  the  popularity  of 
many  treatises  on  practical  divinity ;  for  books 
written  in  the  attractive  style  of  which  we  speak, 
will  have  readers  and  admirers  so  long  as  the 
human  heart  is  susceptible  of  the  beauties  of 
nature. 

In  the  writings  of  Doddridge  we  also  miss 
such  entertaining  and  striking  anecdotes  as  those 
which  sparkle  on  the  pages  of  Dr.  Bates,  Thom- 
as Brooks,  and  John  Flavel.  This  is  another 
kind  of  illustration,  when  appropriately  intro- 
duced, which  is  fitted  to  interest  and  instruct 
the  reader ;  to  enforce  truth,  and  to  touch  the 
heart.  Of  two  of  the  honored  names  just  men- 
tioned it  has  been  well  remarked :  *  Like  a  soft 
valley,  where  every  turn  reveals  a  cascade  or  a 
castle,  or  at  least  a  picturesque  cottage,  Flavel 
lures  us  along  by  the  vivid  succession  of  his 
curious  analogies  and  interesting  stories ;  whilst 
all  the  way  the  path  is  green  with  kind  human- 
ity, and  bright  with  gospel  blessedness.  And, 
like  some  sheltered  cove,  where  the  shells  are 
all  so  brilliant,  arid  the  sea-plants  all  so  curious, 
that  the  young  naturalist  can  never  leave  off 


mS  CHARACTER.  185 

collecting,  so  profuse  are  the  quaint  sayings  and 
the  nice  little  anecdotes  which  Thomas  Brooks 
showers  from  his  Golden  Treasury,  from  his  Box, 
and  his  Cabinet,  that  the  reader  needs  must  fol- 
low where  all  the  road  is  so  radiant,  and  every 
step  is  rewarded  by  its  several  gem.' 

Doddridge  was  a  man  of  erudition.  He  early 
cultivated  a  taste  for  belles-lettres,  and  was  con- 
tinually increasing  his  stores  of  knowledge.  He 
was  extensively  acquainted  with  ancient  history, 
both  civil  and  ecclesiastical,  and  studied  with  in- 
terest and  diligence  the  writings  of  the  fathers, 
particularly  of  the  apologists  for  Christianity, 
Origen,  Eusebius,  &c.  With  the  writings  of 
philosophers,  poets,  and  orators  of  Greece  and 
Eome  he  was  also  familiar,  delighting  most  of 
all  in  Demosthenes.  He  had  a  critical  knowl- 
edge of  the  Hebrew  language,  and  nearly  com- 
pleted a  new  translation  of  the  minor  prophets. 
He  was  conversant  with  civil  law,  mythology, 
antiquities,  English  history,  logic,  rhetoric, 
mathematics,  and  anatomy.  And  it  is  worthy 
of  notice,  that  he  prepared  a  treatise  on  Alge- 
bra, for  the  use  of  his  students,  the  manuscript 
of  which  is  still  preserved.  But  his  favorite 
study  was  that  of  theology,  in  which  he  was 
profoundly  skilled.  In  short,  it  may  be  asserted 
that  Doddridge  was  surpassed  by  few  of  his  dis- 


186  I^IFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

tinguislied  compeers,  in  tlie  extent  and  variety 
of  Ms  intellectual  attainments. 

His  pupil  and  biographer,  Mr.  Orton,  in  giv- 
ing an  estimate  of  his  genius  and  writings,  has 
the  following  interesting  remarks :  'His  acquaint- 
ance with  books  was  very  extensive.  There 
were  few  of  any  importance,  on  the  general  top- 
ics of  literature,  which  he  had  not  read  with  at- 
tention ;  and  his  quickness  of  apprehension  and 
strength  of  memory  were  such,  that  he  could 
both  retain  and  easily  recollect  what  was  most 
remarkable  in  them.  As  he  cautioned  his  pupils 
against  that  indolent  and  superficial  way  of  read- 
ing, which  many  students  fall  into,  so  he  took 
care  that  his  own  example  should  enforce  his 
precepts.  His  usual  method  was  to  read  with  a 
pen  in  his  hand,  and  to  mark  in  the  margin  par- 
ticular passages  which  struck  him.  Besides 
which,  he  often  took  down  hints  of  what  was 
most  important,  or  made  references  in  a  blank 
leaf  of  the  book,  adding  his  own  reflections  on 
the  author's  sentiments.  Thus  he  could  easily 
turn  to  particular  passages,  and  enrich  his  lec- 
ture's with  what  was  most  curious  and  valuable 
in  the  course  of  his  reading.  But  he  was  not 
one  of  those  who  content  themselves  with  trea- 
suring up  other  men's  thoughts.  He  knew,  and 
often  reminded  his  pupils,  that  the  true  end  of 


HIS  CHARACTER.  187 

reading  is  only  to  furnisli  tlie  mind  with  mate- 
rials for  the  exercise  of  its  own  powers ;  and 
few  men  knew  better  how  to  use,  and  apply  to 
the  most  valuable  purposes,  the  knowledge  they 
had  gained.  His  mind  was  indeed  a  rich  trea- 
sury, out  of  which  he  could,  on  every  proper  oc- 
casion, produce  a  variety  of  the  most  important 
instruction.  This  qualified  him  for  lecturing  to 
his  pupils  in  those  several  branches  of  science 
of  which  his  course  consisted ;  it  enriched  his 
public  writings,  and  rendered  his  private  con- 
versation highly  instructive  and  entertaining.' 

In  the  character  of  a  Christian  lyrist,  Dod- 
dridge deserves  our  regard.  It  is  true  his  Hymns 
do  not  belong  to  the  highest  rank  of  poetry,  but, 
notwithstanding,  several  of  them  are  '  eminent 
examples  of  that  mastery  over  words  which 
makes  a  skillful  versifier;'  and  all  of  them  are 
distinguished  by  their  piety  and  sweetness.  His 
famous  lines  on  his  family  motto,  '  Dum  vivi- 
mus,  vivamus,'  have  won  the  warm  eulogium  of 
Dr.  Johnson,  as  one  of  the  finest  epigrams  in  the 
English  language. 

Live  while  you  live  the  epicure  would  say, 
And  seize  the  pleasures  of  the  present  day. 
Live  while  you  live  the  sacred  preacher  cries, 
And  give  to  God  each  moment  as  it  flies. 
Lord,  in  my  life,  let  both  united  be, 
I  live  in  pleasure,  when  I  live  to  Thee  ! 


188  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

One  of  tlie  most  beautiful  of  his  poetical  com- 
positions is  the  hymn,  '  God  the  everlasting  light 
of  the  saints  above.'*  How  finely  are  the  senti- 
ments of  the  poet  expressed  in  these  lines : 

Ye  golden  lamps  of  heaven,  farewell, 

With  all  your  feeble  light ; 
Farewell,  thou  ever-changing  moon, 

Pale  empress  of  the  night. 

And  thou,  refulgent  orb  of  day, 

In  brighter  flames  arrayed, 
My  soul,  that  springs  beyond  thy  sphere. 

No  more  demands  thine  aid. 

Ye  stars  are  but  the  shining  dust 

Of  my  divine  abode, 
The  pavement  of  those  heavenly  courts. 

Where  I  shall  reign  with  God. 

The  Father  of  eternal  light 

Shall  there  His  beams  display; 
Nor  shall  one  moment's  darkness  mix 

With  that  unvaried  day. 

No  more  the  drops  of  piercing  grief 

Shall  swell  into  mine  eyes ; 
Nor  the  meridian  sun  decline 

Amidst  those  brighter  skies. 

*  Some  of  the  lines  of  this  hymn  are  introduced  with  happy 
effect  by  Edwakd  Everett,  in  his  vivid  description  of  the 
death-bed  scene  of  the  great  Copernicus.  See  his  Orations 
and  Speeches. 


mS  CHARACTER.  189 

There  all  the  millions  of  His  saints 
Shall  in  one  song  unite, 
And  each  the  bliss  of  all  shall  view, 
With  infinite  delight. 

Doddridge  was  a  man  of  the  most  exalted 
piety.  His  life  was  truly  one  of  prayer  and 
heavenly  meditation.*  Dr.  Kippis  tells  us  that 
the  prime  and  leading  feature  of  his  soul  was  that 
of  devotion.  'This,' he  adds,  '  was  the  pervading 
principle  of  his  actions,  whether  private  or  pub- 
lic. What  Dr.  Johnson  has  observed  with  re- 
gard to  Dr.  Watts,  ''  that  as  piety  predominated 
in  his  mind,  it  was  diffused  over  his  works  ;  and 
that  whatever  he  took  in  hand  was,  by  his  inces- 
sant solicitude  for  souls,  converted  to  theology," 
may  with  equal  propriety  be  applied  to  Dr. 
Doddridge.' 

Under  the  exhilerating  influence  of  devotional 
feelings,  he  thus  writes  to  Mrs.  Doddridge,  (Oct. 
31,  1742) :  '  My  days  begin,  pass,  and  end  in 
pleasure,  and  seem  short  because  they  are  so 
delightful.     It  may  seem  strange  to  say  it,  but 

*  '  He  that  is  much  in  prayer,  shall  grow  rich  in  grace.  He 
shall  thrive  and  increase  most,  who  is  busiest  in  this,  which  is 
our  very  traffic  with  heaven,  and  fetches  the  most  precious 
commodities  thence.  He  who  sends  oftenest  out  these  ships 
of  desire,  who  makes  the  most  voyages  to  that  land  of  spices 
and  pearls,  shall  be  sure  to  improve  his  stock  most,  and  have 
most  of  heaven  upon  earth.' — Leiqhton. 


190  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

really  so  it  is.  I  hardly  feel  tliat  I  want  any- 
thing. I  often  think  of  you,  and  pray  for  you, 
and  bless  God  on  your  account,  and  please  my- 
self with  the  hope  of  many  comfortable  days, 
and  weeks,  and  years  with  you ;  yet  I  am  not  at 
all  anxious  about  your  return,  or  indeed  about 
anything  else.  And  the  reason,  the  great  and 
sufficient  reason  is,  that  I  have  more  of  the  pre- 
sence of  God  with  me  than  I  remember  ever  to 
have  enjoyed  in  any  one  month  of  my  life.  He 
enables  me  to  live  for  Him,  and  to  live  with 
Him.  When  I  awake  in  the  morning,  which  is 
always  before  it  is  light,  I  address  myself  to  Him 
and  converse  with  Him,  speak  to  Him  while  I 
am  lighting  my  candle  and  putting  on  my  clothes, 
and  have  often  more  delight  before  I  come  out 
of  my  chamber,  though  it  be  hardly  a  quarter 
of  an  hour  after  my  awakening,  than  I  have  en- 
joyed for  whole  days,  or,  perhaps,  weeks  of  my 
life.  He  meets  me  in  my  study,  in  secret,  in 
family  devotions.  It  is  pleasant  to  read,  plea- 
sant to  compose,  pleasant  to  converse  with  my 
friends  at  home,  pleasant  to  visit  those  abroad — 
the  poor,  the  sick  —  pleasant  to  write  letters  of 
necessary  business,  by  which  any  good  can  be 
done ;  pleasant  to  go  out  and  preach  the  gospel 
to  poor  souls,  of  which  some  are  thirsting  for  it, 
and  others  dying  without  it;    pleasant  in  the 


HIS  CHARACTER.  191 

week-day  to  think  how  near  another  Sabbath 
is ;  but,  oh !  much  more  pleasant  to  think  how 
near  eternity  is,  and  how  short  the  journey 
through  this  wilderness,  and  that  it  is  but  a  step 
from  earth  to  heaven.'* 

Many  delightful  hours  did  Doddridge  spend 
in  communion  with  God, —  in  supplication, 
praise  and  thanksgiving.     On  the  first  Monday 

*  How  different  is  the  language  of  the  unhappy  Goldsmith, 
who,  with  all  his  literary  accomplishments,  seems  to  have  been 
destitute  of  that  true  peace,  and  joy,  and  rest,  and  happiness, 
which  are  produced  in  the  soul  by  a  faithful  reception  of  the 
truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  He  says:  '  When  will  my  wanderings 
be  at  an  end  ?  When  will  my  restless  disposition  give  me  leave 
to  enjoy  the  present  hour  ?  When  at  Lyons,  I  thought  all  hap- 
piness lay  beyond  the  Alps;  when  in  Italy,  I  found  myself 
still  in  want  of  something,  and  expected  to  leave  solicitude  be- 
hind me  by  going  into  Romelia;  and  now  you  find  me  return- 
ing back,  still  expecting  ease  everywhere  but  where  I  am.' — 
The  Bee,  No.  1. 

This  restlessness  seems  to  have  followed  him  to  the  grave. 
Just  before  he  expired,  his  physician  asked  him:  'Is  your 
mind  at  ease?'  ^ No,  it  is  not,'  was  Goldsmith's  melancholy 
reply.  These  were  his  last  words.  How  unlike  the  feelings 
and  the  language  of  him  whose  '  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the 
Lord,' — whose  highest  and  holiest  affections  are  placed  on 
the  blessed  Saviour ! 

Well  has  Archbishop  Leighton  remarked,  that  '  the  whole 
course  of  a  man's  life  out  of  Christ,  is  nothing  but  a  continual 
trading  in  vanity,  running  a  circle  of  toil  and  labor,  and  reap- 
ing no  profit  at  all.' 


192  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE, 

of  every  month  he  used  to  go  to  his  church  and 
pass  the  day  in  the  vestry,  in  secret  fasting,  hu- 
miliation, and  prayer  ;  in  dedicating  his  soul  to 
God ;  in  interceding  '  with  God  for  the  church 
and  world ;'  in  ^  admiring  and  adoring  redeem- 
ing love;'  and  in  blessing  God  '  for  that  com- 
munion which  he  enjoyed  with  Him '  on  such 
delightful  occasions.  Sacramental  seasons,  par- 
ticularly, were  very  refreshing  to  his  spiritual 
life,  and  often  filled  him  with  unutterable  de- 
light. While  ministering  to  others,  on  such  oc- 
casions, he  was  himself  conducted  by  the  great 
Shepherd  of  Israel  into  the  'green  pastures' 
beside  the  *  still  waters '  of  divine  grace ;  and 
sometimes  such  a  flood  of  consolation  was 
poured  into  his  soul  as  he  was  scarcely  able  to 
sustain.  Of  one  of  these  days  of  heaven  upon 
earth  in  his  happy  experience,  he  has  preserved 
this  impressive  record,  (Sept.  13, 1747):  'I must 
record  this  day  as  one  of  the  most  blessed  of  my 
life.  God  was  pleased  to  meet  me  in  my  secret 
retirement  in  the  morning,  and  poured  into  my 
soul  such  a  flood  of  consolation  in  the  exercise 
of  faith  and  love,  as  I  was  hardly  able  to  con- 
tain. It  would  have  been  a  relief  to  me  to  have 
been  able  even  to  have  uttered  strong  cries  of 
joy.  Oh,  how  did  I  then  wish  for  a  melodious 
voice,  and  how  gladly  could  I  have  made  earth 


HIS  CHARACTER.  193 

and  heaven  re-echo  with  praise  !  Family  devo- 
tion was  nnutterahly  sweet;  and  though  the 
pleasure  of  my  sermon  was  much  interrupted  hy 
an  accidental  disorder  that  happened  in  my 
throat  while  I  was  speaking,  yet  I  hless  God, 
the  sacramental  attendance,  and  the  evening 
services  were  all  heyond  expression  sweet.  My 
soul  was  full  of  God,  and  of  heaven.'* 

With  reference  to  another  of  these  seasons  of 
rapturous  joy,  we  find  him  thus  expressing  him- 
self in  a  letter  to  his  wife :  '  Last  Lord's-day  was 
our  sacrament  day,  and  indeed,  it  was  a  most 
comfortahle  one  to  me;  my  joy  at  that  ordinance 
was  so  great,  that  I  could  not  well  contain  it.  I 
had  much  ado  to  forhear  telling  all  about  me,  as 
well  as  I  could  —  for  it  would  have  been  but  in 
a  very  imperfect  manner  —  what  a  divine  flame 
I  felt  in  my  soul,  which,  indeed,  put  me  greatly 
in  mind  of  Mr.  Howe's  "full  stream  of  rays."t 

*  '  A  heavenly  Christian  feels  sometimes  a  ponderous  and 
weighty  joy  ;  a  joy  springing  up  in  his  soul,  almost  intolerable, 
and  altogether  unutterable;  a  joy  that  melts  him  into  ecstasy. 
Then  the  soul  claps  its  wings ;  it  would  fain  take  its  flight, 
and  be  gone  ;  it  breathes,  it  pants,  it  reaches  after  God. — Bp. 
Hopkins. 

t  In  a  remarkable  record  of  his  personal  experience,  in" 
scribed  on  his  study  Bible,  the  seraphic  John  Howe  thus 
speaks  of  the  sublime  joy  which  filled  his  soul  on  two  occa- 
sions, to  the  first  of  which,  Doddridge  has  reference  in  his  let- 

17 


194  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

"Were  it  possible  to  carry  such  impressions 
tlirougli  life,  it  would  give  the  soul  a  kind  of 
independence  far  too  high  for  a  mortal  exist- 
ence. It  was,  indeed,  in  the  most  literal  and 
proper  sense,  a  "joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory.'"* 

This  reminds  us  of  the  following  remarkable 
incident  related  of  the  saintly  John  Flavel. 
Being  once  on  a  journey,  he  set  himself  to  im- 
prove the  time  by  meditation ;  when  his  mind 
grew  intent,  till  at  length  he  had  such  ravishing 
tastes  of  heavenly  joys,  and  such  full  assurance 

ter :  '  Dec.  26,  1689.  After  I  had  in  my  course  of  preaching 
been  largely  insisting  on  2  Cor.  i,  12 ;  this  very  morning  I 
awoke  out  of  a  most  ravishing  and  delightful   dream,  that  a 

WONDERFUL  AND  COPIOUS  STREAM  OF    CELESTIAL  RAYS,  from  the 

lofty  throne  of  the  Divine  majesty,  seemed  to  dart  into  my  ex- 
panded breast.  I  have  often  since,  with  great  complacency 
reflected  on  that  very  signal  pledge  of  special  divine  favor 
vouchsafed  to  me  on  that  memorable  day,  and  have  with  re- 
peated fresh  pleasure  tasted  the  delights  thereof.  But  what 
on  Oct.  22,  1704,  of  the  same  kind  I  sensibly  felt,  through  the 
admirable  bounty  of  my  God,  and  the  most  pleasant,  comfort- 
ing influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  far  surpassed  the  most  ex- 
pressive words  my  thoughts  can  suggest.  I  then  experienced 
an  inexpressibly  pleasant  melting  of  heart ;  tears  gushing  out 
of  mine  eyes,  for  joy  that  God  should  shed  abroad  His  love 
abundantly  through  the  hearts  of  men,  and  that  for  this  very 
purpose  my  own  should  be  so  signally  possessed  of  and  by 
His  blessed  Spirit,  (Rom.  v,  5).' 

*  Letter  dated  March  8,  1743. 


HIS  CHARACTER.  195 

of  his  interest  therein,  that  he  utterly  lost  the 
sight  and  sense  of  this  world  and  all  its  concerns, 
so  that  for  hours  he  knew  not  where  he  was. 
At  last,  perceiving  himself  faint,  he  alighted 
from  his  horse  and  sat  down  at  a  spring,  where 
he  refreshed  himself,  earnestly  desiring,  if  it 
were  the  will  of  God,  that  he  might  there  leave 
the  world.  His  spirit  reviving,  he  finished  his 
journey  in  the  same  delightful  frame;  and 
all  that  night  passed  without  a  wink  of  sleep, 
the  joy  of  the  Lord  still  overflowing  him,  so  that 
he  seemed  an  inhabitant  of  the  other  world.* 

Doddridge's  sacramental  meditations,  as  re- 
corded in  his  diary,  are  the  precious  effusions 
of  a  devout  soul,  aspiring  after  heavenly  bless- 
ings. 

In  the  course  of  his  ministerial  life,  he  spent 
many  an  hour  of  joy  in  contemplating  the  divine 
goodness  as  manifested  in  the  plan  of  salvation  ; 
and  was  often  favored  with  transporting  views 
of  the  blessedness  of  Immanuel's  land.  His  af- 
fection was  placed  on  things  above.  His  con- 
versation was  in  heaven.  He  seems  to  have  en- 
joyed, in  an  eminent  degree,  that '  peace  of  God, 
which  passeth  all  understanding,'  and  the  light 
of  His  countenance,  which  causes  the  heart  to 

*  Fneumatoloffia,  4to.,  2d  edit.,  p.  210. 


196  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

overflow  with  a  ^joy  unspeakable  and  full  of 
glory/ 

His  thoughts  were  so  frequently  employed  on 
devotional  themes,  that,  even  in  the  still  hours 
of  night  his  'vigorous  fancy,  roused  by  rap- 
turous excitements,'  would  sometimes  create 
'  holy  and  beautiful  dreams.'  As  an  example  of 
this,  and  as  showing  under  what  impressions  he 
composed  a  fine  hymn,  we  would  introduce  the 
following  account  of  a  remarkable  dream  which 
he  had,  after  a  conversation  with  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Clarke  on  the  state  of  the  soul  after  death :  '  He 
dreamed  that  he  was  dead,  and  that  his  spirit 
soared  away  into  those  deep  regions  of  the  infi- 
nite, which  oftentimes  awaken  our  trembling 
curiosity.  He  felt,  as  he  lost  sight  of  this  noisy, 
busy  world,  how  vain  and  empty  are  the  objects 
which  excite  its  inhabitants  so  much  ;  and  while 
nausing  on  the  theme,  and  committing  himself 
to  the  care  of  the  divine  pilot,  as  he  embarked 
on  the  ocean  of  immensity  and  sailed  amidst 
islands  of  stars,  he  fancied  he  was  met  on  the 
shores  of  heaven  by  an  angel  guide,  who  con- 
ducted him  to  a  palace  which  had  been  assigned 
for  his  abode.  The  dreamer  wondered  at  the 
place,  for  it  made  him  think  that  heaven  was 
not  so  unlike  earth  as  the  teachings  of  Scripture 


HIS  CHARACTER.  197 

had  led  him  to  expect ;  but  he  was  told  that 
there  he  was  to  be  gradually  prepared  for  un- 
known glories  afterwards  to  be  revealed.  In  the 
inner  apartment  of  the  palace  stood  a  golden 
cup,  with  a  grape-vine  embossed  on  it,  which  he 
learned  was  meant  to  signify  the  living  union 
of  Christ  and  His  people.  But  as  he  and  his 
guide  were  talking,  a  gentle  knock  at  the  door 
before  him  announced  the  approach  of  some  one, 
when,  the  portals  unfolding,  revealed  the  majes- 
tic presence  of  the  Eedeemer  of  the  church.  The 
now  glorified  disciple  immediately  fell  at  the 
feet  of  his  gracious  Lord,  but  was  raised  with 
assurances  of  favor,  and  of  the  kind  acceptance 
which  had  been  vouchsafed  to  all  his  loving  ser- 
vices. Then  taking  up  the  cup  and  drinking 
out  of  it,  the  Saviour  put  it  in  His  servant's 
hands,  inviting  him  to  drink,  who  shrunk  from 
the  amazing  honor;  but  was  told,  "If thou 
drink  it  not,  thou  hast  no  part  with  me."  He 
was  ready  to  sink  under  the  transport  of  grati- 
tude and  joy  which  was  thus  produced,  when 
that  condescending  One,  in  consideration  of  his 
weakness,  left  him  for  a  while,  with  the  assur- 
rance  he  would  soon  return,  directing  him  in 
the  meanwhile  to  look  and  meditate  upon  the 
objects  which  were  around ;  and  lo  !  there  were 
pictures  hung  all  about,  illustrative  of  his  own 


198  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

pilgrim  life  —  scene  after  scene  of  trial  and  de- 
liverance, of  conflict  and  victory,  meeting  his 
eyes,  and  filliag  his  heart  with  love  and  wonder. 
And  as  he  gazed  on  them  he  thought  —  what  we 
often  fancy  will  be  the  saint's  first  thought  in 
heaven  — how  all  the  perils  of  his  former  life 
were  now  forever  over.  Exulting  in  his  new- 
found safety,  a  burst  of  joy  broke  the  enchant- 
ment of  his  celestial  dream,  and  he  woke  again, 
amidst  floods  of  tears,  to  the  consciousness  that 
he  was  in  the  body  still.' 

It  was  under  the  inspiration  of  this  dream, 
that  he  wrote  that  beautiful  hymn,  which  has 
been  a  favorite  with  many  a  Christian  pilgrim 
on  the  way  to  the  mansions  of  glory : 

While  on  the  verge  of  life  I  stand, 
And  view  the  scene  on  either  hand, 
My  spirit  struggles  with  its  clay, 
And  longs  to  wing  its  flight  away. 

Where  Jesus  dwells,  my  soul  would  be  ; 
It  faints  my  much  loved  Lord  to  see ; 
Earth,  twine  no  more  around  my  heart, 
For  oh !  'twere  better  to  depart. 

Come,  ye  angelic  envoys,  come, 
And  lead  the  willing  pilgrim  home  ; 
Ye  know  the  way  to  that  bright  throne, 
Source  of  my  joys,  and  of  your  own.* 

That  blessed  interview,  how  sweet! 
To  fall  transported  at  His  feet ! 
Raised  in  His  arms  to  view  His  face. 
Through  the  full  beamings  of  His  grace ! 


HIS  CHARACTER.  199 

To  see  heaveai's  shining  courtiers  round, 
Each  with  immortal  glories  crown'd ; 
And  while  His  form  in  each  I  trace, 
With  that  fraternal  band  embrace. 

As  with  a  seraph's  voice  to  sing ! 
To  fly,  as  on  a  cherub's  wing! 
Performing,  with  unwearied  hands, 
A  present  Saviour's  high  commands. 

Yet,  with  these  prospects  full  in  sight, 
I'll  wait  Thy  signal  for  my  flight: 
And  in  Thy  service  here  below. 
Confess  that  heavenly  joys  may  grow. 

In  reviewing  tlie  life  and  cliaracter  of  Dr.  Dod- 
dridge, we  see  that  the  grand  principle  wliicli 
sustained  and  rejoiced  him  in  all  his  ahundant 
labors  and  exercises,  was  the  constraining  love 
of  Christ.  This  enabled  him  to  say,  in  writing 
to  some  of  his  friends :  *I  bless  God  I  feel  more 
and  more  of  the  power  of  His  love  in  my  heart ; 
and  I  long  for  the  conversion  of  souls  more  sen- 
sibly than  for  anything  besides.  Methinks  I 
could  not  only  labor,  but  die  for  it,  with  plea- 
sure. TJielove  of  Christ  constrains  me.' — ^  I  feel 
the  love  of  God  in  Christ  shed  abroad  in  my 
heart.  Strive  earnestly  in  your  prayers  for  me 
that  it  may  be  continued  and  increased ;  that  He 
may  ever  dwell  in  my  soul,  consecrate  all  its 
powers,  and  engage  all  its  services ;  that  I  may 
be  fitted  for  the  whole  of  His  will,  in  afiliction 


200  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

or  prosperity,  in  life  or  death,  in  time  or  eter- 
nity. I  want,  above  all  things  in  this  world,  to 
be  brought  to  greater  nearness  to  God,  and  to 
walk  more  constantly  and  closely  with  Him.' 
And  again  :  '  Indeed  I  feel  my  love  to  Him  in- 
crease; I  struggle  forward  towards  Him,  and 
look  at  Him,  as  it  were,  sometimes  with  tears 
of  love,  when,  in  the  midst  of  the  hurries  of  life, 
I  cannot  speak  to  Him  otherwise  than  by  an 
ejaculation.'  So  closely  does  he  seem  to  have 
walked  with  God,  especially  during  the  last  days 
of  his  pilgrimage,  and  so  earnestly  did  he  breathe 
after  still  closer  and  sweeter  communion  with 
his  Heavenly  Father,  that  his  life  became  more 
and  more  spiritual  and  heavenly.*  He  appears 
to  have  enjoyed  in  an  eminent  degree,  that  feli- 
city to  which  Archbishop  Leighton  alludes  when 
speaking  of  the  soul  cleaving  to  God.  'The 
more,'  says  he,  'the  soul  withdraws,  so  to  speak, 
from  the  body,  and  retires  within  itself,  the  more 
it  rises  above  itself;  and  the  more  closely  it 
cleaves  to  God,  the  more  the  life  it  lives  in  this 
earth  resembles  that  which  it  will  enjoy  in 
heaven,  and  the  larger  foretastes  it  has  of  the 
lirst  fruits  of  that  blessed  harvest.' 

Some  of  the  qualities  that  the  Christian  will 
most  admire  in  Philip  Doddridge  may  here  be 

*'The  love  of  heaven  makes  one  heavenly.' — Sidney. 


HIS  CHARACTER.  201 

summed  up,  sucli  as  his  unremitting  diligence 
and  perseverance ;  his  extensive  literary  acquire- 
ments; his  large  intelligence;  his  mental  acti- 
vity and  ardor ;  his  ability  and  excellence  as  an 
author ;  his  fidelity  as  a  pastor  and  teacher ;  his 
patience  and  humility  ;  his  genial  courtesy  and 
amiableness;  his  kind  and  sympathetic  heart; 
his  intense  affection  for  his  domestic  circle  and 
friends ;  his  earnest  and  energetic  manner  in  the 
pulpit;  his  tender  and  pathetic  exhibition  of 
evangelical  doctrine ;  his  ardent  desire  to  be  in- 
strumental in  promoting  the  rise  and  progress 
of  religion  in  the  soul;  and  his  undissembled, 

FERVENT,  AND  EXALTED  PIETY. 


iBimnmimixmac 


CHAPTEE  YII 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE,  IN  PEOSE  AND  VERSE. 


The  Water  of  Life. 


HE  waters  wliicli  followed  Israel 
througli  the  wilderness,  failed  when 
they  came  into  an  inhabited  land. 
But  this  river  of  life  will  never  for- 
sake the  believer ;  it  will  flow  with 
him  sweetly  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  sha- 
dow of  death,  till  it  spreads  itself  into  wider  and 
deeper  streams,  in  the  lovely  regions  of  the 
heavenly  Canaan.  Thus  we  are  told,  that  in  the 
"New  Jerusalem  the  river  of  the  water  of  life 
proceedeth  from  the  throne  of  God  and  of  the 
Lamb.  And  thus  our  Lord  assures  the  woman 
of  Samaria,  "Whosoever  drinketh  of  the  water 
that  I  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst ;  but  it 
shall  be  in  him  as  a  well  of  water  springing  up 
mto  everlasting  life.     What  then  remains,  but 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  203 

that  we  eacli  of  us  cry  out,  as  slie  did,  Lord,  give 
us  of  this  living  water,  that  we  may  thirst  no 
more,  nor  come,  as  now,  to  these  ordinances  to 
draw ! 

Clear  spring  of  life !  flow  on,  and  roll 
With  growing  swell  from  pole  to  pole, 
'Till  flowers  and  fruits  of  paradise 
Round  all  thy  winding  current  rise  ! 

Still  near  thy  stream  may  I  be  found, 
Long  as  I  tread  this  earthly  ground  ! 
Cheer  with  thy  wave  death's  gloomy  shade ; 
Then  through  the  fields  of  Canaan  spread  ! 

My  Father's  House. 

If  it  he  so  pleasant  to  me  now  and  then,  to 
cast  a  longing  look  towards  my  Father's  house, 
and  to  read,  as  it  were,  this  letter  which  His 
goodness  sends  to  me,  and  to  receive  in  the  wil- 
derness the  tokens  of  His  care,  what  will  it  he 
to  come  and  dwell  with  Him,  and  with  all  my 
brethren  in  the  Lord?  0  earth  !  all  thy  charms 
are  not  worth  a  moment's  stay.  It  would  he  bet- 
ter, much  better  for  me  to  be  dissolved.  How 
would  my  heart  leap  to  see  His  chariot  appear- 
ing !  How  welcome  would  the  messenger  be 
by  w^hich  He  should  call  me  to  His  house,  and  to 
His  bosom ! 


204  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

Death  to  the  Believer. 

Art  tliou,  oh  believer !  unwilling  to  think  of 
death  ?  Methinks  the  remembrance  of  it  should 
be  thy  daily  refuge,  and  thy  daily  joy.  For  ter- 
rible as  it  is  to  him  who  goes  on  still  in  his  tres- 
passes, to  thee  it  must  have  an  angel's  face. 
Dost  thou  not  know  that  it  is  a  friendly  mes- 
senger sent  to  thee  from  heaven  to  tell  thee  that 
an  habitation  there  is  ready  to  receive  thee? 
that  the  days  of  thy  warfare  are  fully  accom- 
plished, so  that  the  crown  of  victory  is  immedi- 
ately to  be  set  on  thine  head ;  and  the  triumph- 
ant palm  to  be  borne  ?  Dost  thou  not  know, 
oh  Christian  !  that  when  conquered,  it  was  also 
reconciled  by  a  Redeemer,  and  added  to  the 
treasures  and  possessions  of  His  people.  It  is 
now  become  a  gentle  slumber,  in  which  thou 
shalt  lose  thy  fatigues  and  thy  cares,  thy  sor- 
rows and  thy  fears  ;  and  from  which  thou  shalt 
awake  to  transporting  joy  and  incorruptible 
glory.  How  canst  thou  forget  so  kind  a  friend, 
from  whom  thou  hast  such  grand  and  such  cer- 
tain expectations  ?  How  canst  thou  forget  that 
important  day  which  shall  be  the  period  of  ca- 
lamity and  of  sin,  and  the  commencement  of 
complete  holiness,  of  eternal  felicity  ? 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  206 

Safe  in  Jesus. 

Blessed  Jesus,  I  rejoice  in  Thee  as  my  hope, 
and  the  louder  the  storm  rages  around  me,  the 
more  violently  the  enemies  of  my  soul  are  in- 
vading me,  the  closer  will  I  adhere  to  Thee,  and 
the  more  will  I  rejoice  in  Thy  care. 

Committing  the  Soul  to  Jesus  —  a  Prayer. 

Blessed  Jesus  I  I  have  heard  of  Thy  power  and 
Thy  love ;  and  I  believe  what  I  have  heard  of 
them.  Conscious  that  I  have  in  my  breast  an 
immortal  spirit,  and  trembling  in  a  survey  of  its 
infinite  importance,  I  humbly  beg  leave  to  con- 
sign it  to  Thy  faithful  care.  Lord  Jesus,  receive 
my  spirit !  I  would  now  call  upon  Thee  with  all 
the  earnestness  of  a  dying  creature.  From  this 
hour,  from  this  moment,  receive  it !  Oh  !  take 
it  under  Thy  care ;  wash  it  in  Thy  blood ;  adorn 
it  with  Thy  righteousness  ;  form  it,  0  Lord  !  by 
Thy  spirit,  to  every  branch  of  the  Christian 
character ;  to  every  lineament  of  Thy  blessed 
image ;  to  a  full  conformity  to  that  employment 
and  happiness  for  which  the  spirits  of  Thy  peo- 
ple are  intended.  And,  oh !  watch  over  it, 
while  I  travel  through  this  dangerous  wilder- 
ness ;  and  when  it  breaks  loose  from  the  flesh, 
18 


206  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

fold  it  in  Thine  embrace.  Eemember,  0  Lord ! 
ifl  should  not  be  able  to  repeat  it,  remember 
the  humble  petition  which  I  have  now  uttered. 
Eemember  Thy  word  unto  Thy  servant,  on  which 
Thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope  ;  and  be  surety  unto 
me  for  good  against  all  the  terrors  of  death  and 
hell ;  against  all  the  frailties  of  this  degenerate 
nature,  in  the  meantime  yet  more  to  be  feared. 

Our  Great  Care. 

Let  it  be  our  great  care  to  give  up  ourselves 
to  the  Kedeemer  in  the  bonds  of  an  everlasting 
covenant.  Wliile  we  are  in  this  world,  let  it  be 
our  growing  concern,  by  the  assistances  of  His 
grace,  to  be  more  and  more  transformed  into 
His  image,  and  to  subserve  the  purposes  of  His 
glory.  Let  us  pass  the  days  of  our  pilgrimage 
here,  in  frequent  converse  with  Him,  in  contin- 
ual devotedness  to  Him,  and  in  the  longing  ex- 
pectation of  that  happy  hour  which  will  dismiss 
us  from  the  labors  and  sorrows  of  this  mortal 
state,  and  raise  us  to  the  fullest  and  brighest  vi- 
sions of  that  glory  which,  even  in  this  distant 
and  imperfect  prospect,  is  sufficient  to  eclipse 
all  the  splendors  of  life,  and  to  disarm  all  the 
terrors  of  death. 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  207 

Address  to  Orphans. 

Let  not  your  heart  be  troubled,  neither  let  it 
be  afraid.  Your  father  and  mother  are  dead, 
but  your  heavenly  Father  can  never  die.  I 
would  willingly  hope  that  it  has  been  your  early 
care  to  secure  an  interest  in  Him ;  and  I  would 
solemnly  charge  it  upon  you,  as  you  value  your 
present  peace,  or  your  eternal  happiness,  that  it 
be  the  great  business  of  your  life  to  keep  close 
to  Him ;  and  then  you  may  assure  yourselves, 
with  the  most  cheerful  confidence,  that  He  will 
never  fail  nor  forsake  you. 

If  therefore  your  hearts  are  almost  over- 
whelmed within  you,  in  the  melancholy  circum- 
stances into  which  His  providence  has  brought 
you,  iiy  into  His  presence,  prostrate  yourselves 
before  Him  with  humble  importunity,  and  turn 
your  tears  of  sorrow  into  tears  of  devotion. 

*  JBehold,  0  most  compassionate  Father,'  may 
you  reasonably  and  confidently  say,  'behold, 
Thou  hast  plunged  me  even  into  the  depths  of 
distress ;  but  blessed  be  Thy  name.  Thou  hast 
not  left  me  to  sink  in  them  without  any  support. 
I  have  this  day  received  some  kind  assurances 
from  Thy  word,  and  I  now  entreat  Thee  to  re- 
member that  word  unto  Thy  servant,  upon  which 
Thou  hast  caused  me  to  hope.     My  father  and 


208  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

my  mother  have  forsaken  me  :  Lord,  wilt  Thou 
not  take  me  up  ?  "Wilt  Thou  indeed  abandon 
me  ?  Wilt  Thou  add  affliction  to  the  afflicted  ? 
the  insupportable  affliction  of  seeing  myself  de- 
serted by  Thee,  when  I  most  evidently  need 
Thy  succor  ?  That  be  far  from  Thee,  0  Lord ! 
and  be  the  unworthy  suspicion  far  from  me  !  I 
have  lost  my  most  prudent  and  faithful  counsel- 
ors, but  I  look  unto  Thee  as  the  guide  of  my 
youth.  I  have  lost  those  who  were  once  my 
guardians  and  my  protectors;  but  I  come  to 
take  shelter  under  the  shadow  of  Thy  wings. 
Their  eyes  are  closed,  and  their  mouths  are 
sealed  up  in  death.  No  longer  can  they  look 
with  compassion  on  my  sorrows ;  no  longer  can 
their  converse  cheer  or  delight  me.  O  may  Thy 
compassionate  eye  regard  me,  and  Thy  comforts 
delight  my  soul !  Permit  me,  0  God  !  an  humble 
freedom  in  approaching  to  Thee,  and  in  pouring 
forth  all  my  heart  in  Thy  presence.  My  parents 
are  now  returned  naked  to  their  dust,  and, 
should  my  wants  be  ever  so  pressing,  are  now 
incapable  of  affording  me  any  relief.  May  Thy 
rich  bounty  supply  me,  Thy  unwearied  provi- 
dence take  care  of  me  !  But,  above  all,  withhold 
not  Thy  covenant  blessings,  and  let  me  share  in 
that  eternal  inheritance  which  Thou  hast  pre- 
pared for  all  Thy  children  in  Christ.* 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYDIL^  ^  _    2^^ 

If  these  be  the  daily  breathings  of  y 
before  Him,  you  have  abimdant  reason  to  hope 
that  He  will  return  an  answer  of  peace.  In  all 
your  difficulties  He  will  wisely  direct  you ;  in 
all  your  sorrows  He  will  compassionately  relieve 
you;  in  all  your  dangers  He  will  powerfully 
protect  you ;  in  all  your  wants  He  will  bounti- 
fully supply  you  ;  in  a  word,  you  will  be  con- 
ducted safely,  and  I  hope,  notwithstanding  this 
gloomy  prospect,  you  will  be  conducted  com- 
fortably, through  this  mortal  life,  till  you  come 
at  length  to  your  Father's  house  in  peace.  And 
when  you  are  arrived  thither,  and  take  a  view 
of  all  the  various  occurrences  of  the  way,  you 
will  see  apparent  reason  to  acknowledge,  what 
is  now  so  difficult  to  believe,  that  the  present 
awful  dispensation  was  sent  with  a  gracious  de- 
sign, and  that  all  the  paths  of  your  heavenly 
Father  have  been  mercy  and  truth  to  you. 

PRAisiNa  THE  Lord. 

Praise  the  Lord,  all  ye  His  saints  ;  be  thank- 
ful unto  Him,  and  bless  His  name  !  Praise  Him, 
who  graciously  purposed  your  salvation,  and  pre- 
destinated you  to  the  adoption  of  children  by 
Jesus  Christ  unto  Himself!  Praise  Him,  who 
rendered  this  purpose  effectual,  and  wrought  it 


210  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

out  by  a  higli  hand  and  outstretched  arm! 
Praise  Him,  who  gave  His  own -Son  to  be  a  sac- 
rifice for  you,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  right- 
eousness !  Praise  Him,  who  sent  His  Spirit,  as 
the  great  agent  in  his  Son's  kingdom,  to  bring 
the  hearts  of  sinners  to  a  subjection  to  the  gos- 
pel, and  gently  to  captivate  them  to  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith !  Praise  Him,  who  has  revealed 
this  glorious  gospel  to  you,  at  so  great  a  distance 
of  time  and  place  !  Praise  Him,  who  has  im- 
pressed your  hearts  with  a  disposition  to  regard 
it !  Praise  Him,  who  has  subdued  your  preju- 
dices against  it !  Praise  Him,  who,  having  im- 
planted faith  in  your  souls,  continues  even  to 
this  day  to  animate  and  support  it !  Let  all 
ranks  and  ages  join  in  this  cheerful  song  !  Praise 
3^e  the  Lord,  ye  that  are  rich  in  temporal  posses- 
sions, if  you  have  been  enabled  to  renounce  the 
world  as  your  portion,  and  to  triumph  over  it 
by  this  divine  principle  !  Praise  Him,  you  that 
are  poor  in  this  world,  if  you  are  rich  in  faith, 
and  heirs  of  the  kingdom  which  God  has  pro- 
mised to  them  that  love  Him  !  Praise  Him,  you 
that  are  cheerful  and  vigorous,  and  capable  of 
rendering  Him  that  active  service  which  may 
speak  the  gratitude  of  your  hearts  towards  Him  ! 
Praise  Him,  you  that  are  weak  and  languishing, 
since  His  strength  is  made  perfect  in  your  weak- 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  211 

ness,  and  your  infirmities  illustrate  the  force  of 
tliat  faith  which  He  has  wrought  in  you  !  Praise 
Him,  ye  youths  who,  with  this  guide  and  com- 
panion of  your  way,  are  setting  forth  in  the  jour- 
ney of  life  with  courage,  and  lifting  up  your  feet 
in  His  paths  !  Praise  Him,  ye  aged  saints,  who 
stand  on  the  borders  of  eternity,  and  live  in  a 
daily  expectation,  that  you  shall  receive  the  end 
of  your  faith  in  the  salvation  of  your  souls  !  Be- 
gin that  work  now,  in  which  you  are  all  so  soon 
to  join!  Break  forth  into  one  joyful  anthem, 
and  sing :  '  l^ot  unto  us,  0  Lord,  not  unto  us, 
but  to  Thy  name  be  all  the  praise  of  that  salva- 
tion, which  Thou  hast  already  begun  in  our 
souls,  and  which  Thy  faithfulness  has  engaged 
to  complete.' 

A  Pkayer  for  Gospel  Blessings. 

Blessed  Jesus,  Thou  that  know^est  all  things, 
knowest  that  I  thirst  after  the  blessings  of  Thy 
gospel.  Thou  seest  that  I  most  ardently  long 
for  the  pardon  of  sin,  the  favor  of  God,  the  in- 
fluences of  Thy  spirit,  and  the  glories  of  Thine 
heavenly  kingdom.  I  am  fully  persuaded,  that 
with  regard  to  all  these  Thou  art  able  to  do  for 
me  abundantly  above  all  I  can  ask  or  think. 
And  wilt  Thou  not  relieve  me  ?    Wilt  Thou  not 


212  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

give  me  to  drink  ?  Wherefore,  then,  are  Thine 
invitations  published  in  the  gospel  ?  Why  does 
Thy  Spirit  even  now  work  upon  my  heart,  and 
raise  there  this  fervency  of  desire  ?  Wherefore 
didst  Thou  weep  ?  Wherefore  didst  Thou 
bleed?  Wherefore  didst  Thou  die,  if  Thou 
hadst  no  compassion  for  perishing  sinners  ?  But 
Thou  hast  compassion ;  Thou  hast  already  ex- 
tended it  to  thousands  on  earth  and  millions  in 
heaven.  Lord,  I  believe ;  help  Thou  my  unbe- 
lief! I  throw  myself  at  Thy  feet ;  nor  can  I  fear 
I  shall  perish  there,  unless  infinite  power  be 
weakened,  and  infinite  love  be  exhausted. 

To  THE  Afflicted. 

0  thou  afflicted,  thou  who  art  tossed  with  the 
tempest,  and  not  comforted !  look  unto  Jesus. 
Let  thy  conflicts  and  dangers  drive  thee  to  Him ; 
though  Satan  would  thereby  attempt  to  drive 
thee  from  Him.  Accustom  not  thyself  to  think 
of  Christ  as  dreadful  and  severe.  Terrify  not 
thyself  with  the  thought  of  the  iron  rod  of  ven- 
geance, whilst  thou  feelest  thyself  disposed  to 
submit  to  the  golden  sceptre  of  His  grace,  to 
the  pastoral  rod  by  which  He  guides  His  sheep. 
And  when  thou  findest  thy  doubts  arising,  flee 
to  the  representations  and    assurances  of  His 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  213 

Word,  and  pray,  that  the  influences  of  His  Spirit 
may  strengthen  thy  faith  in  them. 


To  THE  Aged. 

You,  my  friends,  though  not  the  lambs  of  the 
flock,  are,  on  some  account,  the  feeble  of  it. 
Though  I  hope,  and  believe,  that  many  of  you 
are  strong  in  grace ;  yet  the  outer  man  is  decay- 
ing, and  sensible  comfort  often  decays  with  it. 
Yet  be  not  discouraged;  but  remember  your 
Shepherd.  You  have  not  only  heard  of  His 
grace,  but  you  have  long  experienced  it.  Be 
cheerful  in  it,  and  remember,  that  as  all  your  ex- 
periences will  not  secure  you  otherwise  than  as  in 
the  bosom  of  Christ,  so  all  your  infirmities  and 
trials  cannot  endanger  you  while  you  are  there. 
He  has  led  you  on  gently  and  safely  through  the 
wilderness;  a  few  steps  more  will  finish  your 
journey,  and  bring  you  to  the  ever-blissfal  pas- 
tures of  Canaan. 


Mutual  Joy  of  Christ  and  Believers  in 
Heaven. 

There  they  shall  be  no  longer  exposed  to  ne- 
cessities and  alarms ;  but  all  the  purposes  of  His 
love  shall  be  completed  in  their  everlasting  se- 


214  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

curity  and  joy.  And  surely  the  gracious  Re- 
deemer must  be  inconceivably  delighted,  when  He 
there  sees  of  the  travail  of  His  soul.  "When  He 
has  with  a  gentle  and  gracious  hand  conducted 
His  sheep  through  the  dark  valley  of  the  shadow 
of  death,  with  what  joy  will  He  open  to  them 
those  better  pastures  !  with  what  congratulations 
will  He  receive  them  to  a  state  of  inseparable 
nearness  to  Him,  and  administer  unto  them  an 
abundant  entrance  into  the  everlasting  kingdom 
of  their  Lord  and  Saviour !  Therefore  it  is  beau- 
tifully represented  in  the  book  of  the  Eevelation, 
as  the  business  and  joy  of  Christ,  even  on  the 
throne  of  His  glory,  to  lead  on  His  saints  to  the 
various  scenes  of  divine  pleasure  and  enjoyment, 
which  are  provided  for  them  there.  The  Lamb 
which  is  in  the  midst  of  the  throne  shall  feed 
them,  and  shall  lead  them  unto  fountains  of 
living  waters. 

And,  O  gracious  Redeemer,  what  will  the  joy 
of  Thy  flock  then  be,  when  thus  fed  and  con- 
ducted by  Thee !  If  it  be  so  delightful  at  this 
humble  distance,  to  believe  ourselves  the  objects 
of  Thy  care  and  favor,  and  to  taste  of  these  little 
streams  which  Thou  art  causing  to  flow  in  upon 
us  here  in  the  wilderness,  what  will  that  river 
of  life  be?  If  it  be  now  the  joy  of  our  hearts, 
awhile  to  forget  our  cares  and  oar  fears,  when 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  215 

we  are  perhaps  at  Thy  table,  and  to  lean  our 
weary  heads  for  a  few  moments  on  Thy  dear 
breast ;  what  will  it  be,  forever  to  dwell  in  Thine 
embrace,  and  to  say  once  for  all,  Return  unto 
thy  rest,  0  my  soul,  for  the  Lord  hath  dealt 
bountifully  with  thee !  Bountifully  indeed ! 
when  they  who  were  brought  out  with  weeping, 
and  led  on  with  supplication,  shall,  as  the  re- 
deemed of  the  Lord,  come  to  Zion  with  songs, 
and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads,  and  sor- 
row and  sighing  shall  flee  away. 

In  the  meantime,  we  rejoice  in  hope  of  this 
blessed  scene,  and  would  raise  such  feeble 
praises,  as  earth  will  admit,  to  this  great  Shep- 
herd, whose  arm  is  so  strong  to  guard  us ;  whose 
bosom  is  so  soft  to  cherish  us ;  and  whose  heart 
is  so  compassionate,  notwithstanding  all  our  un- 
worthiness,  as  to  exert  that  arm  for  our  protec- 
tion, and  to  open  that  bosom  for  our  repose. 

Our  Great  Intercessor, 

How  admirable  and  how  amiable  does  the 
blessed  Jesus  appear,  when  considered  as  the 
great  Intercessor  of  His  people  ! 

How  admirable  is  He  in  this  view  !  "What  an 
honor  is  done  Him  in  the  heavenly  world !  How 
dear  to  the  Father  does  He  appear  to  be,  when 


216  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

God  will  not  accept  the  services  of  the  greatest 
and  best  of  mankind,  unless  presented  by  Him ; 
and  for  His  sake  will  graciously  regard  the 
meanest  and  vilest  sinner!*  And  how  great 
does  this  Intercessor  appear  in  Himself!  '  Bless- 
ed Jesus/  may  the  Christian  say,  'who  is  like 
unto  Thee,  who  canst  at  once  sustain  so  many 
different  relations,  and  canst  fill  them  all  with 
their  proper  offices,  of  duty'  to  Thy  Father,  and 
of  love  to  Thy  people !  who  canst  thus  bear, 
without  encumbering  Thyself,  without  interfer- 
ing with  each  other,  the  priestly  censer  and  the 
royal  sceptre!  How  wise  are  Thy  counsels! 
How  extensive  Thy  views  !  How  capacious  Thy 
thoughts !  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  how  com- 
passionate Thy  gracious  heart!  That  amidst 
all  the  exaltations  of  heaven,  all  the  splendors 
of  Thy  Father's  right  hand,  Thou  shouldst  still 
thus  graciously  remember  Thine  humble  follow- 
ers !  That  Thine  eye  should  be  always  watch- 
ful over  them.  Thine  ear  be  always  open  to  their 
prayers,  Thy  mouth  be  ever  ready  to  plead  for 
them,  and  Thine  arm  to  save  them !  As  if  it 
were  not  love  enough  to  descend  and  die,  unless 
Thou  didst  forever  live  and  reign  for  them,  and 

*  '  His  intercession  is  nothing  else,  that  I  know  of,  but  a 
presenting  of  what  He  did  in  the  vorld  for  us  unto  God,  and 
pressing  the  value  of  it  for  our  salvation.' —  Bunyan. 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE,  217 

even  glory  in  being  made  head  over  all  for  Tliy 
church.' 

'But  especially,'  may  the  Christian  say,  'when 
I  think  of  Thee,  blessed  Jesus,  not  only  as  the 
intercessor  of  Thy  people  in  general,  but  as  my 
Intercessor ;  when  I  think  that  Thou  hast  es- 
poused my  character  and  my  cause,  vile  and 
obnoxious  as  it  is ;  and  that  Thou  art  recom- 
mending my  poor  broken  services,  which  I  daily 
blush  to  present  before  Thee ;  and  art  using 
Thine  interest  and  Thine  authority  in  the  world 
above,  to  complete  my  salvation,  which  Thou 
hast  begun ;  what  shall  Thy  poor  servant  say 
unto  Thee?  All  these  astonishing  and  kind 
regards  to  me,  who  am  unworthy  to  wash  the 
feet  of  the  least  of  Thy  followers  !  Shall  not  the 
wonders  of  such  condescending  grace  engage 
my  gratitude  to  all  eternity?  My  praises  now 
are  so  exceeding  feeble,  and  so  low,  I  am  almost 
ashamed  to  ofier  them.  0  when  shall  those  no- 
bler praises  begin,  which  I  hope  ere  long  to 
ofter  in  that  world  of  perfection  to  which  Thy 
gracious  intercession  is  bringing  me  ?' 

A  Devout  Meditation. 

0  my  God,  what  shall  I  say  ?  what,  but  that 
I  love  Thee  above  all  in  the  power  of  language 


218  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

to  express.  While  I  feel  Thy  sacred  Spirit 
breathing  upon  my  heart,  and  exciting  these 
fervors  of  love  to  Thee,  I  cannot  doubt  of  its  in- 
fluence, any  more  than  I  can  doubt  of  the  truth 
of  this  animal  life  while  I  exert  the  acts  of  it. 
Surely,  if  ever  I  knew  the  appetite  of  hunger, — 
my  soul  hungers  after  righteousness,  and  longs 
for  a  greater  conformity  to  Thy  blessed  nature 
and  will.  If  ever  my  palate  felt  thirst, —  my 
soul  thirsts  for  God,  even  the  living  God !  and 
for  a  more  abundant  communication  of  His  fa- 
vor. If  ever  my  weary  body  knew  what  it  was 
to  v/ish  for  the  refreshment  of  my  bed,  and 
longed  for  rest, —  even  so  my  soul,  with  sweet 
acquiescence,  rests  upon  Thy  gracious  bosom,  O 
mjy  heavenly  Father,  and  returns  to  its  repose 
in  the  embraces  of  its  God,  who  has  dealt  so 
bountifully  with  it.  And  if  ever  I  saw  the  face 
of  a  beloved  friend  or  child  with  complacency 
and  joy, —  so  I  rejoice  in  beholding  Thy  mercy, 
0  Lord,  and  in  calling  Thee  my  Father  in  Christ. 
Such  Thou  art,  and  such  Thou  wilt  be  for  time, 
and  for  eternity.  "What  have  I  more  to  do  but 
to  commit  myself  to  Thee  for  both,  and  leave 
Thee  to  choose  my  inheritance,  and  order  my 
affairs  for  me,  while  all  my  business  is  to  serve 
Thee,  and  all  my  delight  to  praise  Thee.  My 
soul   follows  hard  after  my  God,  because   His 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  219 

riglit  hand  supports  me.     Let  it  still  bear  me 
up,  and  I  shall  still  dress  forward. 

Meditations  on  the  Sacrament,  in  February, 
1743. 

I  had  been  preaching  from  those  words  in 
Ephesians,  '  Christ  loved  the  church,  and  gave 
Himself  for  it ;  that  He  might  sanctify  and  cleanse 
it,  that  He  might  present  it  to  Himself  a  glorious 
church,'  etc.  Agreeably  to  this  I  spoke  to-day 
from  a  scripture  which  I  believe  has  been  the 
subject  of  my  meditation  before,  but  I  am  not 
quite  sure.  It  was,  '  And  the  ransomed  of  the 
Lord  shall  return,  and  come  to  Zion  with  songs 
and  everlasting  joy  upon  their  heads.  They  shall 
obtain  joy  and  gladness,  and  sorrow  and  sighing 
shall  flee  away.'  When  the  church  is  perfectly 
saved,  this  shall  be  fulfilled.  Observe  under 
what  character  God's  people  are  described; 
whither  they  shall  be  brought,  and  in  what 
manner;  and  how  this  great  transaction  shall 
end.  Under  what  character  God's  people  are 
described:  'the  redeemed  of  the  Lord.'  Those 
whom  He  has  ransomed  and  bought.  Are  we 
not  so  ?  This  is  a  feast  of  His  ransomed  ones, 
in  which  the  price  for  the  ransom  is  commemo- 
rated.    Nor  would  any  one  who  did  not  appre- 


220  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

hend  himself  in  this  view  have  any  business 
here.  It  is  sinners  that  were  once  enslaved  and 
condemned,  then  bought  by  the  Son  of  God, 
who  are  to  seek  their  places  at  this  board,  their 
part  in  this  ordinance.  '  Into  Thy  hand  I  com- 
mit my  spirit.  Thou  hast  redeemed  me,  0  Lord 
God  of  truth !'  '  They  shall  return ;'  return 
from  their  captivity  in  the  grave.  He  will  say 
in  another  world,  *  Return  ye  children  of  God.' 
And  they  '  shall  come  to  Zion ;'  to  the  ISTew  Je- 
rusalem, to  the  City  of  our  God.  I^ow  we  are 
traveling  towards  it.  E'ow  we  are  incorporated 
with  that  society.  We  have  our  freedom  but  not 
our  habitation  there,  being  no  more  strangers 
and  foreigners,  but  fellow  citizens  with  the 
saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God.  It  is  that 
Jerusalem  from  above,  which  is  the  mother  of 
us  all.  It  is  pleasant  to  come  to  Zion  below ; 
our  Lord  loves  it.  But  oh,  how  much  more  do 
we  love  those  heavenly  gates !  They  shall '  come 
with  singing ;'  making  a  grand  procession  with 
anthems  in  their  mouths.  What  melody  in 
each !  What  harmony  in  all !  How  pleasant  to 
think  of  them,  not  singing  with  sorrowful  and 
broken  voices,  but  in  a  full  harmonious  choir  ! 
Who  would  not  wish  to  have  seen  Moses  and 
Aaron  leading  on  the  Israelites  from  Egypt  with 
that  sacred  song  of  triumph  ?  to  have  heard  the 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  221 

poor  slaves,  untanglit  in  music,  unless  by  insjii- 
ration,  and  used  rather  to  groans  than  songs; 
yet  on  so  sublime  an  occasion  as  the  deliverance 
of  Israel  and  the  destruction  of  Pharaoh,  their 
tongues  were  tilled  with  notes  of  triumph ;  it 
had  been  pleasant.  But  the  song  of  Moses  and 
the  Lamb  shall  be  in  another  strain.  Oh  that 
we  could  catch  a  little  of  the  echo  now !  And 
how  shall  it  end?  They  shall  march  on  to 
heaven  !  '  Lift  up  your  heads,  O  ye  gates ;  and 
be  ye  lift  up,  ye  everlasting  doors  !'  Everlast- 
ing joy  is  upon  their  heads.  God  pours  out  the 
oil  of  gladness,  and  its  fragrance  is  immortal. 
Sorrow  and  sighing  were  once  familiar,  but  now 
they  are  fled  away,  forever  discomfitted  and  de- 
feated by  the  great  Captain  of  our  salvation  and 
His  triumphant  legions ;  they  dare  not  look  Him 
in  the  face,  they  dare  not  invade  His  followers 
for  a  moment.  How  grand  and  how  delightful 
an  image  !  And  now.  Lord,  lead  me  not  forth 
with  the  workers  of  iniquity,  but  with  this  Thy 
people.  Methinks  that  Thou  hast  this  day  be- 
gun to  fulfill  this  promise.  I  number  myself 
among  Thy  redeemed  ones.  I  come  to  Thy  Zion 
here,  I  come  with  pleasure  and  delight;  joy  is 
in  my  heart,  and  a  song  is  in  my  mouth.  Let 
sorrow  and  sighing  retire,  at  least  for  awhile, 
and  give  way  to  that  joy  that  becomes  such  a 


222  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

feast.  And  thou,  sacred  Spirit,  slied  abroad  a 
new  effusion  of  faith,  of  hope,  of  love,  and  joy 
in  my  soul.  Come,  Lord,  for  I  wait  on  Thee 
with  expectation  and  delight. 

Heaven  Oue  Home. 

Seeing  heaven  is  our  country,  let  us  take  care 
to  live  like  those  who  belong  to  such  a  country. 
This  is  what  the  apostle  recommends  to  us  by 
his  own  example.  Our  conversation^  saith  he,  is 
in  heaven ;  or  we  behave  ourselves  like  citizens 
of  heaven.  Let  us  remember,  that  whilst  we 
are  in  this  world,  we  sojourn  in  a  strange  land, 
and  are  at  a  distance  from  our  home ;  and, 
therefore,  do  not  let  us  be  inordinately  affected 
with  anything  in  it.  Let  us  not  be  too  much 
transported  with  the  entertainments,  nor  too 
much  dejected  with  the  disappointments  which 
we  meet  with  in  this  land  of  our  pilgrimage ; 
but,  let  us  be  carrying  on  a  constant,  regular 
design  of  a  happy  abode  in  this  glorious  country; 
and  let  all  the  actions  of  our  life  have  a  tendency 
towards  it ;  and  to  animate  us  to  prosecute  our 
journey  with  the  greatest  vigor  and  cheerful- 
ness, let  us  be  endeavoring  to  form  an  acquaint- 
ance with  it.  In  the  Scripture,  God  has  given 
us  a  map  of  this  heavenly  Canaan.     Let  us  take 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  223 

our  notions  of  it  from  tlience,  and  make  this  de- 
scription of  it  very  familiar  to  ns.  Let  us  keep 
up  a  constant  correspondence  with,  it,  by  fre- 
quent and  earnest  addresses  to  the  throne  of  the 
King  of  Heaven,  and  by  meditating  and  dis- 
coursing upon  the  happiness  of  it.  Let  us  be 
zealous  for  the  interests  of  this  heavenly  coun- 
try, and  do  our  utmost  to  increase  the  number 
of  the  inhabitants  of  it.  Let  us  endeavor  to  re- 
flect an  honor  upon  it,  by  imitating  the  manners 
of  those  who  live  there,  and  showing  the  same 
zeal  for  the  honor  of  God,  and  the  same  affec- 
tionate regard  to  the  good  of  our  fellow  crea- 
tures, that  they  do.  Especially,  let  us  maintain 
a  peculiar  affection  for  our  fellow-citizens,  and 
endeavor  to  help  them  forward  on  their  journey 
thither.  And,  in  the  last  place,  let  us  be  ready 
to  leave  this  world,  whenever  it  shall  please  God 
to  give  us  a  dismission  from  it ;  that  so  we  ma}^ 
go  into  this  country  where  we  shall  be  no  more 
strangers  and  foreigners,  but  fellow-citizens  with 
the  glorified  saints,  and  of  the  highest  household  of 
God. 

The  Chkistian  Willing  to  Die. 

If  heaven  be  our  better  country,  then  how 
willing  should  we  be  to  die,  that  we  may  go 


224  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

thitlier !  And  yet  there  are  a  great  many  good 
people  wlio  are  afraid  of  death ;  of  death,  which 
shall  consign  them  to  eternal  glory.  They  are 
come  to  the  borders  of  Canaan,  and  see  the 
pleasant  fields  of  that  goodly  countiy,  and  yet, 
because  there  is  a  Jordan  between,  and  the  pas- 
sage may  be  cold  and  difficult,  they  are  desiring 
to  turn  back  into  the  wilderness,  though  they 
have  met  with  hunger  and  drought,  with  ser- 
pents and  Amalekites.  And  perhaps  this  is  the 
case  with  some  of  us.  It  should  therefore  be 
our  concern  to  rectify  so  unbecoming  a  temper. 
To  this  purpose  let  us  endeavor  to  ^^  ourselves 
in  the  steadfast  belief  of  the  reality  of  this  un- 
seen country ;  that  it  is  not  a  Utopian  region, 
the  creature  of  fancy,  or  the  contrivance  of  pol- 
icy; but  that  God  himself  has  prepared  and 
recommended  it.  And  let  us  endeavor  to  affect 
our  mind  with  frequent  meditations  and  affec- 
tionate discourses  of  the  glories  and  happiness 
of  it ;  that  we  may  be  persuaded  that  these  teni 
poral  enjoyments,  which  we  so  fondly  embrace 
and  so  unwillingly  part  with,  are  by  no  means 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  it.  And  especially 
let  it  be  our  care  to  clear  up  our  own  title  to  it. 
Por,  after  all,  here  is  the  great  difficulty.  We 
know  that  dying  is  a  matter  of  infinite  import- 
ance ;  and  it  will  fix  us  in  an  unalterable  eternity. 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  225 

And  tliough.  we  could  gladly  be  willing  to  he 
dissolved,  if  we  were  sure  we  should  he  with  Christ, 
yet  when  we  come  to  die,  we  shrink  back  from 
it.  There  is  some  uncertainty  in  the  matter, 
and  we  hardly  dare  venture  on  a  bare  probabil- 
ity ;  because  we  think  ourselves  not  sufficiently 
prepared  for  so  awful  a  work,  and  are  desirous 
of  putting  our  souls  into  a  more  hopeful  and 
comfortable  posture.  It  should,  therefore,  be 
our  great  care  to  behave  ourselves  so  that  we 
may  have  the  testimony  of  our  consciences  to 
support  us,  and  an  assured  sense  of  our  union 
with  Christ,  through  a  faith  that  works  hy  love. 
And  this  will  give  us  courage  and  confidence 
when  the  creatures  are  sinking  under  us ;  when 
death  is  crumbling  our  earthly  tabernacle  into 
the  dust  from  whence  it  was  raised,  it  will  fill 
our  souls  with  a  song  of  triumph,  as  knowing 
that  the  days  of  our  pilgrimage  are  at  length  ac- 
complished, and  we  are  going  to  a  City  that  has 
foundations,  and  whose  huilder  and  maker  is  God."^ 

*  Besides  their  spiritual  excellence,  these  words  have  a  pe- 
culiar attraction  for  the  author  of  this  volume.  They  will 
long  be  remembered  by  him  with  tender  emotion  as  being  the 
last  words  he  ever  read  to  an  aged,  pious,  and  beloved  parent 
within  a  very  few  hours  of  his  sudden  and  unexpected  death, 
on  the  Sabbath  evening  of  June  28th,  1857.  Appropriate, 
searching,  and  solemn  words  for  a  Christian  pilgrim  to  medi- 
tate upon,  especially  when  he  is  about  to  finish  his  earthly 
course,  and  to  enter  into  the  joy  of  his  Lord  in  the  celestial  City  I 


226  ^^^^  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

The  Christian  Race. 

Awake,  my  soul,  stretcli  every  nerve, 

And  press  with  vigor  on ; 
A  heavenly  race  demands  thy  zeal, 

And  an  immortal  crown. 

A  cloud  of  witnesses  around 

Hold  thee  in  full  survey ; 
Forget  the  steps  already  trod. 

And  onward  urge  thy  way. 

'Tis  God's  all-animating  voice, 
That  calls  thee  from  on  high ; 

'Tis  His  own  hand  presents  the  prize 
To  thine  aspiring  eye. 

That  prize  with  peerless  glories  bright, 
"Wliich  shall  new  lustre  boast, 

"Wlien  victors'  wreaths  and  monarchs'  gems 
Shall  blend  in  common  dust. 

Blest  Saviour,  introduced  by  Thee, 

Have  I  my  race  begun ; 
And  crowned  with  victory,  at  Thy  feet 

I'll  lay  my  honors  down. 

Grace. 

Grace !  'tis  a  charming  sound. 
Harmonious  to  my  ear ; 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  22' 

Heaven  witli  the  echo  shall  resound, 
And  all  the  earth  shall  hear. 

Grace  first  contrived  a  way 
To  save  rebellious  man, 
And  all  the  steps  that  grace  display. 
Which  drew  the  wondrous  plan. 

Grace  taught  my  wandering  feet 
To  tread  the  heavenly  road. 
And  new  supplies  each  hour  I  meet, 
While  pressing  on  to  God. 

Grace  all  the  work  shall  crown 
Through  everlasting  days ; 
It  lays  in  heaven  the  topmost  stone, 
And  well  deserves  the  praise. 

The  Passing  of  Time. 

How  swift  the  torrent  rolls,  . 
That  bears  us  to  the  sea ! 
The  tide  that  bears  our  thoughtless  souls 
To  vast  eternity ! 

Our  fathers,  where  are  they, 
"With  all  they  called  their  own  ? 
Their  joys  and  griefs,  and  hopes  and  cares 
And  wealth  and  honor  gone. 

But  joy  or  grief  succeeds 
Beyond  our  mortal  thought, 


228  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

While  the  poor  remnant  of  their  dust 
Lies  in  the  grave  forgot. 

There,  where  the  fathers  lie, 
Must  all  the  children  dwell ; 
ITor  other  heritage  possess, 
But  such  a  gloomy  cell. 

God  of  our  fathers,  hear, 
Thou  everlasting  Friend ! 
While  we,  as  on  life's  utmost  verge. 
Our  souls  to  Thee  commend. 

Of  all  the  pious  dead 
May  we  the  footsteps  trace, 
Till  with  them  in  the  land  of  light 
"We  dwell  before  Thy  face. 

Entering  into  Covenant. 

0  happy  day,  that  fixed  my  choice 
On  Thee  my  Saviour  and  my  God ! 
Well  may  this  glowing  heart  rejoice. 
And  tell  its  raptures  all  abroad. 

0  happy  bond,  that  seals  my  vows 
To  Him  who  merits  all  my  love ! 
Let  cheerful  anthems  fill  His  house. 
While  to  that  sacred  shrine  I  move. 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  229 

*Tis  done  ;  the  great  transaction's  done ; 
I  am  my  Lord's,  and  He  is  mine : 
He  drew  me,  and  I  followed  on, 
Charmed  to  confess  the  voice  divine. 

IN'ow  rest  my  long  divided  heart, 
Fixed  on  this  blissful  centre  rest ; 
With  ashes  who  would  grudge  to  part. 
When  called  on  angels'  bread  to  feast  ? 

High  Heaven  that  heard  the  solemn  vow. 
That  vow  renewed  shall  daily  hear ; 
Till  in  life's  latest  hour  I  bow, 
And  bless  in  death  a  bond  so  dear. 

Providence. 

Great  God,  we  sing  that  mighty  hand 
By  which  supported  still  we  stand ; 
The  opening  year  Thy  mercy  shows ; 
That  mercy  crowns  it,  till  it  close. 

By  day  by  night,  at  home,  abroad. 
Still  are  we  guarded  by  our  God ; 
By  His  incessant  bounty  fed. 
By  His  unerring  council  led. 

With  grateful  hearts  the  past  we  own ; 

The  future,  all  to  us  unknown, 

We  to  Thy  guardian  care  commit, 

And  peaceful  leave  before  Thy  feet. 
20 


230  ^^FE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

In  scenes  exalted  or  depressed, 
Thou  art  our  joy,  and  Thou  our  rest; 
Thy  goodness  all  our  hopes  shall  raise, 
Adored  through  all  our  changing  days. 

When  death  shall  interrupt  these  songs, 
And  seal  in  silence  mortal  tongues. 
Our  helper  God,  in  whom  we  trust. 
In  better  worlds  our  souls  shall  boast. 


Sure  and  Stedfast. 

The  promises  I  sing. 

Which  sovereign  love  hath  spoke ; 

Nor  will  the  eternal  King 

His  words  of  grace  revoke ; 

They  stand  secure, 

And  stedfast  still ; 

I^ot  Zion's  hill 

Abides  so  sure. 

The  mountains  melt  away 
When  once  the  Judge  appears, 
And  sun  and  moon  decay. 
That  measure  mortals'  years ; 

But  still  the  same. 

In  radiant  lines. 

The  promise  shines 

Through  all  the  flame. 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  281 

Their  harmony  shall  sound 
Through  mine  attentive  ears, 
"When  thunders  cleave  the  ground. 
And  dissipate  the  spheres ; 

'Midst  all  the  shock 

Of  that  dread  scene 

I  stand  serene, 

Thy  word  my  rock. 

The  Eecompense  of  the  Eewakd. 

My  soul,  with  all  thy  wakened  powers 

Survey  the  heavenly  prize ; 
'Eov  let  these  glittering  toys  of  earth 

Allure  thy  wandering  eyes. 

The  splendid  crown,  which  Moses  sought, 

Still  beams  around  his  brow ; 
Though  soon  great  Pharaoh's  sceptred  pride 

Was  taught  by  death  to  bow. 

The  joys  and  treasures  of  a  day 

I  cheerfully  resign ; 
Eich  in  that  large  immortal  store. 

Secured  by  grace  divine. 

Let  fools  my  wiser  choice  deride, 

Angels  and  God  approve ; 
Nor  scorn  of  men,  nor  rage  of  hell, 

My  stedfast  soul  shall  move. 


232  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

With  ardent  eye  that  bright  reward 

I  daily  will  survey ; 
And  in  the  blooming  prospect  lose 

The  sorrows  of  the  way. 


To-day. 

To-morrow,  Lord,  is  Thine, 
Lodged  in  Thy  sovereign  hand ; 

And  if  its  sun  arise  and  shine, 
It  shines  by  Thy  command. 

The  present  moment  flies, 

And  bears  our  life  away ; 
O  make  Thy  servants  truly  wise. 

That  they  may  live  to-day. 

Since  on  this  winged  hour 

Eternity  is  hung, 
Waken  by  Thine  almighty  power 

The  aged  and  the  young. 

One  thing  demands  our  care ; 

0  be  it  still  pursued ! 
Lest,  slighted  once,  the  season  fair 

Should  never  be  renewed. 

To  Jesus  may  we  fly 

Swift  as  the  morning  light. 
Lest  life's  young  golden  beams  should  die 

Li  sudden  endless  night. 


specimens  of  his  style  233 

Arise,  Shine. 

0  Zion,  tune  thy  voice, 
And  raise  thy  hands  on  high ; 
Tell  all  the  earth  thy  joy  a. 
And  hoast  salvation  nigh. 

Cheerful  in  God, 

Arise  and  shine. 

While  rays  divine 

Stream  all  ahroad. 

He  gilds  thy  mourning  face 
With  beams  that  cannot  fade ; 
His  all-resplendent  grace 
He  pours  around  thy  head ; 

The  nations  round 

Thy  form  shall  view, 

With  lustre  new 

Divinely  crowned. 

In  honor  to  His  name 
Reflect  that  sacred  light ; 
And  loud  that  grace  proclaim. 
Which  makes  thy  darkness  bright : 

Pursue  His  praise, 

Till  sovereign  love 

In  worlds  above 

The  glory  raise. 


234  J^IFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

There  on  His  holy  hill 
A  brighter  sun  shall  rise, 
And  with  His  radiance  fill 
Those  fairer,  purer  skies; 

While  round  His  throne 

Ten  thousand  stars 

In  nobler  spheres 

His  influence  own. 


*  I  WILL  SING  Praises  while  I  have  any  Being.' 

God  of  my  life,  through  all  its  days 
My  grateful  powers  shall  sound  Thy  praise ; 
The  song  shall  wake  with  opening  light, 
And  warble  to  the  silent  night. 

When  anxious  cares  would  break  my  rest, 
And  griefs  would  tear  my  throbbing  breast, 
Thy  tuneful  praises  raised  on  high, 
Shall  check  the  murmur  and  the  sigh. 

When  death  o'er  nature  shall  prevail. 
And  all  its  powers  of  language  fail, 
Joy  through  my  swimming  eyes  shall  break, 
And  mean  the  thanks  I  cannot  speak. 

But  oh,  when  that  last  conflict's  o'er. 
And  I  am  chained  to  flesh  no  more. 
With  what  glad  accents  shall  I  rise. 
To  join  the  music  of  the  skies ! 


SPECIMENS  OF  JITS  STYLE.  235 

Soon  shall  I  learn  tlie  exalted  strains, 
Whicli  echo  o'er  the  heavenly  plains  ; 
And  emulate,  with  joy  unknown, 
The  glowing  seraphs  round  Thy  throne. 

The  cheerful  tribute  will  I  give, 
Long  as  a  deathless  soul  can  live ; 
A  work  so  sweet,  a  theme  so  high, 
Demands,  and  crowns  eternity. 


The  Eesurrection  of  Christ. 

Yes,  the  Redeemer  rose. 

The  Saviour  left  the  dead ; 

And  o'er  our  hellish  foes 

High  raised  His  conquering  head; 

In  wild  dismay 

The  guards  around 

Fell  to  the  ground, 

And  sunk  away.  . 

Lo,  the  angelic  bands 
In  full  assembly  meet, 
To  wait  His  high  commands. 
And  worship  at  His  feet : 

Joyful  they  come. 

And  wing  their  way 

From  realms  of  day 

To  sue  h«  tomb. 


236  LIFE   OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

Then  back  to  lieaven  they  fly, 
And  the  glad  tidings  bear ; 
Hark !  as  they  soar  on  high, 
What  music  fills  the  air ! 

Their  anthems  say, 

"  Jesus  who  bled 

Hath  left  the  dead ; 

He  rose  to-day." 

Ye  mortals,  catch  the  sound, 
Redeemed  by  Him  from  hell ; 
And  send  the  echo  round 
The  globe  on  which  you  dwell : 

Transported  cry, 

"  Jesus  who  bled 

Hath  left  the  dead; 

IN'o  more  to  die." 

All  hail,  triumphant  Lord, 
Who  savest  us  with  Thy  blood ! 
Wide  be  Thy  name  adored, 
Thou  rising,  reigning  God! 

With  Thee  we  rise. 

With  Thee  we  reign, 

And  empires  gain 

Beyond  the  skies. 


specimens  of  his  style.  237 

Living  "Water. 

Blest  Jesus,  source  of  grace  divine, 
Wliat  soul-refreshing  streams  are  Thine ! 
O  hring  these  healing  waters  nigh, 
Or  we  must  droop,  and  fall,  and  die. 

Ko  traveler  through  desert  lands, 
'Midst  scorching  suns,  and  burning  sanda 
More  eager  longs  for  cooling  rain. 
Or  pants  the  current  to  obtain. 

Our  longing  souls  aloud  would  sing, 
Spring  up,  celestial  fountain,  spring ; 
To  a  redundant  river  flow. 
And  cheer  this  thirsty  land  below. 

May  this  blest  torrent  near  my  side 
Through  all  the  desert  gently  glide ; 
Then  in  Emanuel's  land  above 
Spread  to  a  sea  of  joy  and  love. 

Christ's  Invitation. 

How  free  the  fountain  flows 
Of  endless  life  and  joy! 
That  spring,  which  no  confinement  knows, 
Whose  waters  never  cloy !  ^— — i._ 


238  ^^^^   ^^  ^^-  DODDRIDGE- 

How  sweet  the  accents  sound 
From  the  Redeemer's  tongue  ! 
"Assemble  all  ye  nations  round, 
In  one  obedient  throng. 

"Ho,  every  thirsty  soul. 

Approach  the  sacred  spring; 
Drink,  and  your  fainting  spirits  cheer; 

Renew  the  draught  and  sing.'** 

The  Fountain  of  Life. 

Hail,  everlasting  spring ' 
Celestial  fountain,  hail ! 
Thy  streams   salvation    ^ring, 
The  waters  never  fail ; 

Still  they  endure, 

And  still  they  flow, 

For  all  our  woe 

A  sovereign  cure. 

Blest  be  His  wounded  side, 
And  blest  His  bleeding  heart, 
Who  all  in  anguish  died 
Such  favours  to  impart. 

His   sacred  blood 

Shall  make  us  clean 

From  every  sin, 

And  fit  for  God. 


SPECIMENS  OF  HIS  STYLE.  239 

The  Saviour's  Message. 

Hark  the  glad  sound!  the  Saviour  comes! 

The  Saviour  promised  long ! 
L  et  every  heart  prepare  a  throne, 

And  every  voice  a  song. 

He  comes  the  prisoners  to  release, 

In  Satan's  bondage  held ; 
The  gates  of  brass  before  Him  burst. 

The  iron  fetters  yield. 

He  comes  the  broken  heart  to  bind. 

The  bleeding  soul  to  cure, 
And  with  the  treasures  of  His  grace 

To  enrich  the  humble  poor. 

Our  glad  Hosannas,  Prince  of  peace. 

Thy  welcome  shall  proclaim ; 
And  heaven's  eternal  arches  ring 

With  Thy  beloved  name. 

Salvation  Fear. 

Awake,  ye   saints,  and  raise  your  eyes 

And  raise  your  voices  high ; 
Awake,  and  praise  that  sovereign  love. 

That  shows  salvation  nigh. 


240  LIFE  OF  DR.  DODDRIDGE. 

On  all  the  wings  of  time  it  flies, 
Eacli  moment  brings  it  near^; 

Then  welcome  each  declining  day ! 
Welcome  each  closing  year ! 

Not  many  years  their  rounds  shall  run, 

IsTor  many  mornings  rise, 
Ere  all  its  glories  stand  revealed 

To  our  admiring  eyes. 

Ye  wheels  of  nature,  speed  your  course  ; 

Ye  mortal  powers,  decay; 
Fast  as  ye  bring  the  night  of  death, 

Ye  bring  eternal  day. 

The  Christian  Farewell. 

Thy  presence,  everlasting  God, 
"Wide  o'er  all  nature  spreadsabroad  ; 
Thy  watchful  eyes,  which  cannot  sleep, 
In  every  place  Thy  children  keep. 

"While  near  each  other  we  remain. 
Thou  dost  our  lives  and  souls  sustain  ; 
When  absent,  happy  if  we  share 
Thy  smiles.  Thy  counsels,  and  Thy  care. 

To  Thee  we  all  our  ways  commit. 
And  seek  our  comforts  near  Thy  feet ; 
Still  on  our  souls  vouchsafe  to  shine. 
And  guard  and  guide  us  still  as  Thine. 


SPECIMENS   OF  HIS  STYLE.  241 

Give  us  in  Thy  beloved  house 
Again  to  pay  our  grateful  vows  ; 
Or,  if  that  joy  no  more  be  known, 
Give  us  to  meet  around  Thy  throne. 


The  Eternal  Sabbath. 

Lord  of  the  sabbath,  hear  our  vows, 
On  this  Thy  day,  in  this  Thy  house ; 
And  own,  as  grateful  sacrifice, 
The  songs,  which  from  the  desert  rise. 

Thine  earthly  sabbaths.  Lord,  we  love ; 
But  there's  a  nobler  rest  above ; 
To  that  our  labouring  souls  aspire 
With  ardent  pangs  of  strong  desire. 

jtTo  more  fatigue,  no  more  distress  ; 
Nor  sin  nor  hell  shall  reach  the  place ; 
!N^o  groans  to  mingle  with  the  songs, 
Which  warble  from  immortal  tongues. 

!N"o  rude  alarms  of  raging  foes ; 
E'o  cares  to  break  the  long  repose ; 
1^0  midnight  shade,  no  clouded  sun. 
But  sacred,  high,  eternal  noon. 

O  long  expected  day,  begin  ; 
Dawn  on  these  realms  of  woe  and  sin ; 
Fain  would  we  leave  this  weary  road. 
And  sleep  in  death  to  rest  with  God. 


INDEX. 


4  ^  0»  > 


Addison,  Joseph,  referred  to  by  Doddridge,  182. 
Aikin,  Rev.  John  (D.  D.),  93. 

Mrs  ,  93. 

J.  (M.  D.),  93. 

Lucy,  98. 
Akenside,  175,  176. 

his  Pleasures  of  the  Imagination,  176. 
Barker,  Rev.  John,  biographical  notice  of,  144. 

his  letter  to  Doddridge,  144-146. 
Barrow,  Isaac,  Doddridge's  opinion  of,  60. 

his  sermons  read  by  Chatham,  60. 
Baxter  quoted,  46. 
Bowles,  86. 

Boyd,  Rev.  J.,  a  mistake  of  corrected,  35. 
Boyle,  lectureship  (the),  39. 
Brainerd,  David,  138,  139. 

his  grave  at  Northampton,  139,  140. 
Bulwer,  E.  L.  quoted,  61. 
Burder,  Rev.  Geo.,  148. 
Burnet,  Bp.,  14,  15,  19,  38,  39,  119. 
Bunyan,  158,  159. 
Calamy,  Dr.,  his  Nonconformisf s  Memorial  quoted,  23. 

biographical  notice  of,  30, 
Chalmers,  Dr.,  his  opinion  of  Baxter  and  Doddridge,  58. 

Journal  of  quoted,  133,  134. 
Clarke,  Rev.  Dr.,  his  advice  to  Doddridge,  19. 
his  Scripture  Promises,  27. 


244  INDEX. 

Coleridge,  his  Aids  to  Reflection^  132. 

quoted,  159. 
Colton,  62. 
Cowper,  150. 

Cradock,  Samuel,  his  Harmony  of  the  Four  Evangelists,  &c.,  66. 
Darracott,  Ridson,  biographical  notice  of,  83-86. 
Davies,  Rev.  Samuel,  his  allusion  to  Mrs.  Doddridge,  169-171. 

anecdote  of,  170,  171. 
Dibdin,  T.  F.,  his  opinion  of  Lardner's  works,  20. 
Disraeli,  Isaac,  quoted,  25. 
Doddridge,  Daniel,  the  father  of  Philip,  23. 

Sir  John,  22. 

John,  the  father  of  Philip,  23. 

Philip,  his  birth,  22 

his  first  religious  instruction,  24. 

his  academical  career,  25. 

death  of  his  parents,  26. 

becomes  acquainted  with  the  Rev.  Samuel  Clarke,  27. 

commences  to  keep  a  diary,  33. 

removes  to  Kibworth,  35. 

his  academical  studies  at  Kibworth,  36-40. 

his  love  of  nature,  40-42. 

rules  for  the  direction  of  his  conduct,  43-47. 

removes  to  Hinckley,  49. 

finishes  his  course  of  preparatory  studies  at  Hinckley,  50. 

his  first  sermon,  50. 

his  pastoral  settlement  at  Kibworth,  52. 

his  studious  retirement  and  love  of  country  life,  54-57. 

studies  the  works  of  Baxter,  Howe  and  Barrow,  57-60. 

forms  a  valuable  private  library,  61. 

chosen   assistant  to  the  Rev.  Mr.  Some  at  Market  Har- 
borough,  62. 

his  course  of  reading,  63-69. 

opens  a  theological  academy  at  Market  Harborough,  69. 


INDEX.  245 

Doddridge  receives  a  call  from  the  dissenting  congregation  at 

Northampton,  71. 
his  removal  to  Northampton  and  ordination  there,  73-75. 
his  reflections  on  his  first  sacrament  day,  75,  76. 

sixth,  76,  78. 
forms  an  acquaintance  with  Miss  Maris,  78 
his  letters  to  her,  79. 
his  marriage,  80. 

his  strong  affection  for  Mrs.  Doddridge,  80-82. 
his  rules  on  the  occasion  of  his  marriage,  82. 
continues  his  theological  academy  at  Northampton,  83 
considered  as  an  instructor,  94. 
his  studies  at  Northampton,  96,  97. 
his  visits  to  various  places  and  letters  describing  them, 

97-104. 
commences  authorship,  104. 
some  of  his  publications,  104-107. 
diplomated  doctor  of  divinity,  107. 
his  letter  to  Dr.  Clarke  disclosing  his  plan  of  writing  the 

Family  Expositor,  107,  108. 
his  progress  in  writing  this  work,  108-111. 
publishes  the  Family  Expositor  and  various  other  works, 

114-130. 
edits  the  works  of  Leighton,  130. 
his  visit  to  London  in  1749,  135. 

interested  in  the  cause  of  revivals  in  New  England,  137. 
his  last  illness,  141. 

his  experience  during  his  affliction,  141,  142 
administers  the  Lord's  supper  for  the  last  time,  142,  143. 
visits  Mr.  Orton  at  Shrewsbury,  143 
visits  Bristol,  146. 
his  happy  frame  of  mind,  147-149. 

embarks  for  Lisbon,  156.  * 

favored  on  the  voyage  with  delightful  views  of  heaven, 

157,  158. 


246  INDEX. 

Doddridge  reaches  Lisbon,  163 

his  last  hours,  164. 

his  death,  165. 

his  personal  appearance,  174. 

his  character  as  a  preacher,  174-182. 
an  author,  182-185. 
a  scholar,  185-187. 
lyrist,  187-189. 
man  of  piety,  189-201. 

specimens  of  his  style  in  prose  and  verse,  202-241. 

Mrs.,  her  personal  appearance  described,  82. 

her  letter  to  her  family  at  Northampton,  167-169. 

notice  of,  169. 
Dwight,  Rev.  Dr.,  on  earnestness  in  preaching,  175. 

S.  E.,  his  Life  of  Pres.  Edwards  quoted,  47. 
Editor  of  Doddridge^s  Correspondence  quoted,  165. 
Edwards,  Jonathan,  resolutions  of,  47-49. 

Jerusha,  139,  140. 
Erskine,  Lord,  on  eloquence,  175. 
Everett,  Edward,  188. 
Farmer,  Rev.  Hugh,  93. 

his  letter  to  Doddridge,  118 
Fawcett,  Benjamin,  biographical  notice  of,  86-89. 
Fenelon,  38. 
Fielding,  Henry,  166. 

Flavel,  John,  an  incident  related  of,  194,  195. 
Foster's  Essay  on  the  Rise  and  Progress,  &c.,  123. 
Frost's  funeral  sermon  on  Doddridge,  117. 
Fuller,  Thomas,  22. 
Gardiner,  Col.,  12,  128. 
Gentleman's  Magazine  quoted,  169. 
Goldsmith,  Oliver,  quoted,  41,  191. 

his  experience  contrasted  with  that  of  Doddridge,  191 
Hall,  Bp.,  quoted,  159. 


INDEX.  247 

Hall,  Bp.,  on  a  literary  life,  61. 

his  Contemplations,  67. 

Robert,  quoted,  154,  178,  179,  180. 

his  high  opinion  of  Doddridge's  Sermons,  105. 

John  Foster's  writings,  123. 
Hamilton,  Dr.,  quoted,  135,  136,  163. 

a  mistake  of  corrected,  35. 

his  visit  to  Doddridge's  chapel,  172. 
Hardwicke,  Lord,  a  remark  of,  63. 

Henry,  Matthew,  his  treatise  on  the  Lord's  Supper  quoted,  28. 
Ilervey,  Rev.  James,  biographical  notice  of,  129,  130. 
Hill,  Rev.  James,  an  incident  related  by  him,  124, 125. 
Holland,  house  (the),  101. 
Hopkins,  Bp.,  quoted,  193. 
Home,  Bp.,  his  love  of  literary  labor,  110. 
Howe,  John,  experience  of,  193,  194. 

pious  reflections  of,  155. 
Huntington,  Lady,  her  visit  to  Doddridge,  152. 

biographical  notice  of,  152. 
Hurdis  quoted,  35.  ' 

Ihne,  Wm.,  his  opinion  of  Chapman,  Pope  and  Cowper's  trans- 
lation of  Homer,  64. 
Jay,  Rev.  Wm.,  his  opinion  of  Orion's  Life  of  Doddridge,  89, 91. 

the  Life  of  Philip  Henry,  96. 
estimate  of  Doddridge's  Sermons,  104. 
Jennings,  David,  (D.  D.,)  notice  of,  35,  36. 

his  letter  to  Doddridge,  128. 

John,  notice  of,  35,  36. 
Jerment,  Rev.  J.,  his  eulogy  on  Leighton,  180. 
Johnson,  Dr.,  his  estimate  of  the  character  of  Warburton,  106. 

quoted  40,  187. 
Kippis,  Andrew,  biographical  notice  of,  91-93. 

quoted,  176,  189. 

his  opinion  of  Doddridge,  93. 


248  INDEX. 

Leighton,  130,  131. 

quoted,  150,  151,  189, 191,  200. 
London  Evangelical  Magazine  quoted,  132. 
Longfellow  quoted,  113. 
Lowndes  quoted,  67,  91. 
Market  Harborough,  62. 
Mason,  his  treatise  on  Belf  Knowledge^  91. 
Miall,  his  notice  of  Doddridge's  chapel,  172,  178. 
Milton  quoted,  34,  61. 

Miles,  Rev.  Dr.,  his  letter  to  Doddridge,  131. 
Montesquieu  quoted  15,  16. 
Montgomery  quoted,  100. 
Morell,  Mr.  16. 
Neal,  N.,  his  letters  to  Doddridge,  134,  155. 

biographical  notice  of,  156. 
Northampton,  71,  72. 
Orme  quoted,  163. 
Orton,  Job,  biographical  notice  of,  89. 

quoted,  175,  186,  187. 
Otway,  Thomas,  42. 

Pemberton,  Rev.  Mr.,  his  letter  to  Doddridge,  20. 
Pliny,  the  younger,  letters  of,  67. 
Pope,  Alexander,  his  translation  of  Homer,  64. 

quoted  105. 
Racine,  37. 

Richmond,  Leigh,  183. 

Rutherford,  Rev.  Samuel,  the  experience  of,  157, 
Savage,  Richard,  99. 

Seeker,  Thomas,  biographical  notice  of,  120,  121. 
Shakespeare  quoted  26,  56. 

Tomb  of,  102. 
Sibbes,  Richard,  quoted,  167. 
Sidney,  200 
Sloane,  Sir  Hans  (Bart.),  98. 


INDEX.       t ;  y  «  *  249 

Somersett,  dutchess  of,  her  letter  to  Doddridge,  128. 

Southey,  Robert,  his  Life  and  Correspondence  referred  to,  162.' 

Spalding,  Prof.,  his  opinion  of  Pope's  Homer,  64. . 

Sprague.  Dr.,  his  remarks  respecting  Brainerd's  tomb,  140. 

St.  Albans,  27. 

StefFe,  Rev.  Thomas,  his  Life  by  Doddridge,  119. 

Stonehouse,  Sir  James,  biographical  notice  of,  126,  127. 

Talfourd,  T.  N.  ,  his  recollections  of  Lisbon,  161,  162. 

his  opinion  of  Lucretius,  68,  69. 
Taylor,  Jane,  quoted,  163 

Thomas,  biographical  notice  of,  166,  167. 
The  New  American  Cyclopedia  referred  to,  31. 
Tillotson,  Dr.,  character  of,  38,  39. 

Todd,  Rev.  John,  on  the  utility  of  the  study  of  the  classics,  37 
Townsend,  Lord,  the  residence  of,  102. 
Walpole,  Sir  Robert,  the  residence  of,  102. 
Warburton,  Dr.,  his  letter  to  Doddridge,  150. 

quoted,  114. 

biographical  notice  of,  106. 
Wardlaw,  Ralph,  his  notice  of  Clarhe^s  Scripture  Promises,  28. 
Watts,  Dr.,  134,  136. 

his  notice  of  Clarke's  Scripture  Promises,  27. 

his  letter  to  Doddridge,  122, 

discourses  on  the  happiness  of  separate  spirits,  163. 

Life  and  Choice  Works  referred  to,  135. 
West,  Gilbert,  103,  104. 
Williams,  Mr.,  his  letters  to  Doddridge,  87,  151. 

the  diary  of,  151. 
Wilson,  Bp.,  Daniel,  quoted,  180-182. 

his  opinion  of  Baxter's  Reformed  Pastor^  59. 

Walter,  quoted,  92. 
Wordsworth,  quoted,  41,  61. 

THE  END. 


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